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Mindfulness Exercises for the Office
No matter what industry you work in, your career plays a huge role in your life. We all spend a great deal of time at our jobs, and unfortunately, they often contribute to some of the stress we experience throughout the day. Whether it’s relentless emails, Zoom calls or meetings – every day we’re bombarded with information and data exchange, and it can be a challenge to remain focused and present.
The Basics of Mindfulness
The word mindfulness gets tossed around a lot, and it can be confusing to figure out what it is and exactly how to reap its many benefits. Mindfulness means being totally and completely “here” rather than worrying about the past or awaiting the future, and simply being aware of the present moment. It doesn’t always have to look like you sitting criss-cross apple sauce and chanting “ommmmm” over and over again. Instead, mindfulness can look like: taking in your surroundings, observing the taste and smell of your food, taking deep breaths, concentrating on one task at a time. Mindfulness means living in the here and now, and with some practice, can be an amazing tool to incorporate throughout your day to gain greater enjoyment.
The Benefits of Mindfulness
Regardless of industry, you’ve probably experienced some (or a lot) of stress throughout your day. Between emails, phone calls, meetings and now more frequently – Zoom calls from your home – it’s become increasingly difficult to detach from work and not feel bombarded by technology all of the time. After all, if you are working from home, it means you can ALWAYS be working. As you might have already guessed, mindfulness can play a huge role in helping to reduce stress throughout your workday and allow you to enjoy the mundane a lot more. Being at home all the time can have a tendency to make us feel stir-crazy, unrelaxed and unfocused. When we feel like we have to be “on” all the time, it becomes difficult to know when to rest – and actually take the time to rest. By training yourself to come back into the present moment (hello, mindfulness) you’ll be able to listen to your body, know when to take breaks and use those breaks to re-energize – which in turn allows you to be even more productive.
Mindfulness at Work Tips
Now that we know how mindfulness can help us throughout the day, how do you actually go about incorporating mindfulness during work hours? Here are some tangible mindfulness at work tips that you can incorporate right now to be more mindful while working at the office, working from home, or wherever you happen to be!
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Focus on One Task at a Time: We all try to multitask from time to time, but the human brain finds it more difficult to accomplish tasks when it’s bouncing around from one task to another. To keep yourself on track and stay focused on one thing at a time, set aside time during your day for specific tasks. This will help you avoid constantly checking your inbox or trying to do multiple things at once.
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Take Breaks Throughout the Day: Similar to the last tip, it’s far more productive to take breaks throughout your workday than simply barreling through and never giving your brain any time to actively rest. Even if it feels like you don’t have time for that ten-minute walk outside, getting outside and giving your brain time to wander can do wonders for the rest of your workday. You may even find you come back with new ideas and inspiration you wouldn’t have otherwise had.
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Practice Mindful Breathing: I know you know how to breathe. Mindfully breathing, though? That’s a whole different ball game. Taking a minute or two to focus only on breathing is probably one of the most powerful mindfulness exercises out there. Try the Sufi Five Breath Clearing Meditation, a quick and easy exercise that can make a huge difference to your stress and anxiety when you lean into it.
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Set Reminders: It can be easy throughout the day to zone out or on the flip side – feel like we’re stuck on a hamster wheel. Between all of the distractions from our phones, our email, social media, and our actual work, it can be tough to remember to take an active break or be present in the moment to ease our stress. Set an alarm or notification to go off a few times a day that reminds you to either take a break or simply breathe. This will be an extremely helpful tool while you learn to be more mindful throughout each task.
Learning to be more mindful during your workday has a multitude of benefits, including reduced anxiety and stress, increased focus and decision-making, and ultimately puts you in a calmer, happier state. By implementing small practices every day like taking breaks, mindfully breathing, and reducing your multitasking, you’ll find that you’re able to get a lot more done at work and enjoy the process. And isn’t that the whole point?
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