Automation is the way of the future but bringing mindfulness into your work is a great way to stay engaged, reduce stress, and improve physical wellbeing.
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is described as “the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something, without judgement, in the present moment. This can include, thoughts, feelings, and surroundings.”
Mindfulness has many far-reaching health benefits including reducing blood pressure, improving cognition, potentially improving your immune system, and improving your quality of sleep. All these health benefits should be reason enough to start looking into mindfulness but what are some ways to integrate mindfulness practices while at work?
Below are some great ways to introduce mindfulness to your workplace and to your routine daily:
Be Present
o Mindfulness is the practice of being aware of your surroundings, thoughts, and feelings, without judgement. If you have a project that needs to be done, being present and mindful means that project is receiving your undivided attention. Each time you feel yourself wanting to check a non-urgent email or scroll through social media, gently remind yourself to be present with what you have in front of you. This practice can extend to meetings, calls, and social interactions with your colleagues.
One thing at a time
o Multitasking is a falsehood. It’s defined as being able to do two or more tasks, at once, at the same time. This can lead to frustration as we feel as though we had a busy day but can’t clearly define the success we’ve had. Sort of like not realizing you’ve been running on a treadmill and wondering why the finish line is still the same distance away. By focusing on one task at a time, you not only can stay present, but you’ll notice an increase in overall productivity. Create actionable items, leverage a productivity software, or simply write out a to-do list.
Express Gratitude
o By reflecting with gratitude about things like our workplace, coworkers, and even challenging conversations or feedback sessions, we build our own emotional resiliency to stressful situations. To express gratitude to those around us requires us to stay tuned in to our surroundings. Studies have shown that expressing gratitude also has a positive impact on our health, creativity, relationships, and quality of work.
Radical Acceptance
o Part of mindfulness is acknowledging what is happening in the present moment, without judgement. Practice acceptance of things that are outside of your control. It’s an acceptance of the current situation without dictating it as “good” or “bad” rather, it just, is. Radical acceptance not only is an exercise in mindfulness but another way to practice emotional resiliency in the workplace. More and more employers are looking for people to join their organizations that have a high emotional intelligence.
Mindfulness exercises
o There are simple exercises you can practice throughout the day that help allow you mindful moments even while at work. Some examples being:
Stretch for 10 seconds every hour
o Observe how your body feels, without judgement, and accept before returning to work.
Mindfully eat a snack or your lunch
o Slow down and appreciate the food you have. Observe the taste, texture, scent, appearance
Practice 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
o Look at five things around you, feel four things, listen for three sounds, smell two things or imagine your favorite scent, taste one thing (such as a mint)
Looking to read more on mindfulness? Check out some helpful links below: