Mindfulness at Work
Mindfulness may seem like a great idea, but how do you become more mindful in the context of a busy work day? You may have emails, phone calls, meetings, and presentations to deal with. And, of course, your own work! In the middle of all that, how can you apply the principles of mindfulness so that you feel more alive and present, as well as being productive?
Here are a few popular and other more radical ways to be mindful at work.
Have a positive morning mantra.
Start every morning with positive thoughts. Remind yourself of all that you have to be grateful for and what you plan on achieving in your day, year and life.
Write down a positive mantra and leave it where you will see it when you wake up. It doesn’t need to be long or complex. Something simple and to-the-point works best, just make it specific to your life. Every morning when you wake up, take a moment and read your mantra to yourself. This will help start your day on a positive note.
Tune into distractions around you.
In open-concept offices in particular, distractions are rampant, whether they’re in the form of a noisy neighboring coworker, loud typing or phones going off. But paradoxically, paying attention to those distractions rather than trying to tune them out can be a good way to prevent them from stressing you out. Gently notice the sounds and see if you can become aware of the effects they have on your body. The observation tends to rob the distractions of their power.
Take a break and get out of the office.
If you can, take a break and leave work completely. This means both physically and mentally. Go for a walk outside, breathe fresh air, feel the sun and wind on your face. Most importantly, leave your job behind. Allow your brain to rest and recharge. Your job will still be there when you get back.
Eat.
It sounds simple, but keeping nourished and hydrated at work. Your mind will be sharper if you’re not thinking about food all the time. Instead of thinking about cramming in the reports over lunch and swallowing a sandwich to get by, actually stop and eat your sandwich. Enjoy the meal you are eating and forget about everything else. After all, mindfulness is about being present in the moment, enjoy your sandwich and switch off from the end of the month reports.
Remember to breathe.
As you work through your day keep some focus on your breathing. Try to be aware of each breath in and out, even as you do other things. Deep, aware breathing helps to align your physical and mental states.
You can’t take a breath in the past or the future, only in the present moment. So if you are aware of your breath, you are aware of the present moment.
You may not have time to try all of these tips at once, but the good news is that even just one or two can be a big help. Try practicing the tips you can, and see what sort of difference it makes. Sometimes just giving yourself permission to pause is the best first step.
