How To Practice Mindfulness At Work

In today’s busy world, much of our social connection happens at work. It’s no wonder then that working effectively can be so challenging. When we spend long hours staring at a computer screen or answering phone calls from our cubicles, it can be hard to find the time and space to focus on what truly matters: getting the job done for others as well as for ourselves. Fortunately, mindfulness is one resource that everyone — not just employees but their employers too — can tap into at work with little effort. With a few small yet impactful habits, you can start incorporating mindfulness into your daily routine to improve your performance and increase your resilience and resiliency in the face of stressors like high-pressure situations or even physical demands at work.

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and noticing what you’re really feeling and thinking. Mindfulness teaches us to be here, in this moment, to be aware of what we’re feeling so we can connect to it instead of running away from it. It’s the art of cultivating attentiveness and compassion towards ourselves, on and off the job. Mindfulness is especially useful for people who are living fast, stressed-out, or overworked lives. It can help you calm down and feel grounded so you can think more clearly and make better decisions. It can also help you manage stress and stay focused so you can show up fully while you’re at work.

Mindfulness can be cultivated through specific activities, such as: – Exercising the Mind – Yoga, tai-chi, ball sports, etc. – Connecting with Nature – Walking, gardening, art, etc. – Seeking Social Connectedness – Socializing, volunteering, etc. – Rethinking Work – Challenging the Status Quo, taking stock of what you do, assessing whether it really adds value, etc.

How to practice mindfulness at work

As with anything new, mindfulness will likely feel uncomfortable at first. You may feel like you’re spacing out a little too often, like you’re not listening as well, or like you’re coming up short on deadlines. This is completely normal and perfectly normal. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Remember, you’re just getting used to this new way of being. Start small. Acknowledge your feelings and sensations and choose how you’re feeling instead of just reacting. When you notice yourself getting stressed, take a moment to breathe, notice your feelings, and gently refocus your attention. Try to get back into the present moment.

Here are the three steps to incorporating mindfulness into your workday:

– Step 1: Identify your barriers to practicing mindfulness at work

– Step 2: Consider how you can overcome those barriers

– Step 3: Create a daily mindfulness practice

3 skills for practicing mindfulness at work

Take a mindful break

Once you’ve gotten the hang of incorporating mindfulness into your routine, take a break from it. Maybe you’ve been practicing mindful breathing all day, or maybe you’ve been reading or doing some light exercise — whatever it is, give yourself a break before you go back to work. If possible, find a few moments in your day to disconnect from your work. Do some yoga, go for a walk, take care of your mental health needs, or just switch off from work for a bit — whatever it is, give yourself permission to disconnect from your work for a few moments each day so you can reset and refocus before you go back to work.

Use your senses

When you’re at work and using your senses, you’re focusing on what you’re seeing and hearing and feeling, rather than what you’re thinking about. This can help you break free from your mental traps and refocus on the task at hand. During your workday, try to stop every once in a while and take a minute to look around and notice your surroundings. Look at the people around you, and notice what you’re seeing.

Connect with co-workers

Whether you’re working remotely or in-office, try to make time to connect with your colleagues. This could be as simple as just grabbing a cup of coffee or talking to your co-workers about their projects or kids — whatever it is, make time to connect with others at work. When you’re connecting with others at work, you’re doing something that’s beneficial for both of you: distracting yourself from work and giving others a lift out of their own heads.

Tips for cultivating resilience in the workplace

There’s no one path to success, and the same is true for finding resilience. While cultivating mindfulness can help you to stay present and calm in high-pressure situations, resilience is a lifelong process that requires ongoing self-reflection, development, and understanding. Here are three ways you can work towards becoming more resilient at work:

– Build your resilience muscles – There are many ways to build resilience, but one effective method is to challenge yourself to do something that you might otherwise find challenging. For example, if you have trouble with public speaking, challenge yourself to give a speech to your colleagues.

– Stay curious – A big part of being resilient is keeping curiosity alive. Curiosity keeps you focused on what you don’t know, which helps you to stay open-minded and focused on what you do know.

– Smile. Research has shown that smiling has a positive impact on your mood, and it can also inspire others to smile too.

Benefits of Mindfulness

Mindfulness is proven to promote a variety of positive outcomes, including:

– Greater resilience – Mindfulness is a process that teaches you to be present and calm in the moment. Practicing mindfulness helps you to stay present and calm in high-pressure situations by giving you the skills to better manage your emotions.

– Greater clarity – Mindfulness helps you to be more focused and less distracted, which can help you to think clearly and make better decisions.

– Better relationship skills – Mindfulness helps you to better communicate with others by focusing on the feelings behind words and by communicating with genuine feelings.

– More compassion – Mindablity frequently involves experiencing compassion for yourself, which is a great stepping stone to developing greater compassion for others.

Conclusion

Mindfulness is a powerful tool that can help you to better manage your time, increase your focus, and be more present at work. If you’re ready to get started, the best way to begin cultivating mindfulness is to identify your barriers to practicing and overcome them. Once you’ve kicked off your mindfulness practice at work, use the following skills to maximize the impact. Mindfulness will help you cultivate resiliency, clarity, compassion, and more. Mindfulness is a powerful tool that can help you to better manage your time, increase your focus, and be more present at work. If you’re ready to get started, the best way to begin cultivating mindfulness is to identify your barriers to practicing and overcome them. Once you’ve kicked off your mindfulness practice at work, use the following skills to maximize the impact. Mindfulness will help you cultivate resiliency, clarity, compassion, and more.