5 Discreet Ways to Practice Grounding at Work

Do you ever hit that 2 PM wall where you feel “tired but wired”? You might be exhausted, yet your heart is racing, your jaw is clenched, and your mind is spinning with a dozen unread emails. Consequently, finding a way to practice grounding at work becomes essential for your well-being.

This state is your nervous system on high alert. We often think that to find peace, we need to escape—to book a vacation, go to a yoga class, or meditate in silence for 20 minutes. However, when you’re in the middle of a chaotic workday, escaping simply isn’t an option.

The secret isn’t leaving your desk; it’s mastering grounding at work.

Grounding at work isn’t about lighting candles or closing your eyes, which can feel unsafe in an open office environment. Instead, it is about using discreet, invisible tools to signal safety to your body while you meet your deadlines.

Here are 5 somatic techniques you can use right now to reset your nervous system without anyone noticing.

An office worker looking away from screens towards a window, demonstrating visual orienting for grounding at work. — Widening your peripheral vision by looking at nature breaks screen-induced tunnel vision and signals safety to the brain.

Why Grounding at Work is Essential for Focus

Before diving into the methods, it is important to understand why this matters. When we are anxious, our energy shoots up into our heads, leading to racing thoughts and shallow breathing. Grounding at work pulls that energy back down, stabilizing your nervous system so you can think clearly.

1. Grounding at Work with The Under-Desk Press

You can do this discreetly in the middle of a Zoom call or a high-stakes meeting.

How to do it: Place both feet flat on the floor. Press your heels down firmly as if you are trying to leave an imprint in the concrete. Simultaneously, engage your thigh muscles.
Why it works: Pressing your feet down activates proprioception (your body’s sense of position). Therefore, it signals to your brain: “I am here. I am supported.” This is one of the simplest ways to practice grounding at work without drawing attention to yourself.

2. The Temperature Reset

If you feel a panic attack brewing or anger rising after a rude email, you should excuse yourself to the breakroom or restroom.

How to do it: Run cold water over your wrists for 30 seconds, or hold a cold glass of water against the side of your neck.
Why it works: Your Vagus Nerve—the superhighway of your relaxation response—wanders near the surface of the skin at your neck and wrists. Cold exposure instantly stimulates this nerve. As a result, it lowers your heart rate and snaps you out of the “fight or flight” loop.

3. The “Orienting” Glance

Staring at a screen for hours creates “tunnel vision.” Biologically, tunnel vision happens when a predator is chasing us. To your brain, your laptop is the predator.

How to do it: Stop typing. Turn your head slowly to the left. Look at a plant, a corner, or a window. Name three colors you see. Then, turn your head slowly to the right.
Why it works: Moving your neck and widening your peripheral vision tells your reptilian brain, “I have checked the environment, and there are no tigers here.” Furthermore, it unlocks the freeze response in your neck and shoulders, making grounding at work physically effective.

4. The Heavy Object Hold

Anxiety lives in the future (“What if I miss this deadline?”). Conversely, grounding at work brings you back to the present moment.

How to do it: Keep a smooth stone, a heavy paperweight, or a ceramic mug on your desk. When you feel untethered, pick it up. Focus entirely on its weight, texture, and temperature for 10 seconds.
Why it works: Your brain cannot focus on the texture of a stone and the “what if” narrative at the same time. The sensory input interrupts the worry loop effectively.

5. The Physiological Sigh

This is the fastest biological way to offload stress, popularized by researchers at Stanford University.

How to do it: Take two short inhales through the nose (one big inhale, then a tiny top-up inhale to fill the lungs completely). Then, exhale slowly and fully through the mouth with a sigh.
Why it works: It pops open the tiny air sacs in your lungs (alveoli) and offloads carbon dioxide. Consequently, it instantly calms the nervous system. You can try this specific grounding at work technique right before you hit “send” on that difficult email.

Making Grounding at Work a Daily Habit

You don’t need to overhaul your entire day to feel better. The goal of Soojz Mind Studio is to help you weave safety into your existing routine.

Start small. Choose one of these techniques to try today. Remember, you don’t have to sacrifice your nervous system to be successful at your job. You can be productive and peaceful at the same time.

Ready for deeper support? Visit Soojz Mind Studio for guided audio tracks designed to help you regulate while you work.