Four Simple Ways to Make Your Working Day More Mindful
Mindfulness is proven to reduce stress and boost concentration so it’s no wonder that more and more of us are looking to integrate it into our working lives. Here are a few easy suggestions to help you start feeling the benefits of mindfulness at work.
4 simple ways to make your working day more mindful
1. Start your day with a moment of stillness
However frantic and chaotic your morning has been, make it a rule that before stepping into work mode you give yourself a moment to pause and just BE. Set a timer on your phone for a minute or two, close your eyes and feel into the sensation of your feet connecting with the floor beneath you, the weight of your body resting down into the chair, the sounds you can hear around you. It’s amazing what a difference this short pause can make to your mindset, focus and productivity for the rest of the morning.
It will quickly become a practice you can’t do without, but until you’ve got into the routine, you’ll want to decide on a cue that you can ‘hook’ this new habit onto. Chose something you do without fail at the start of each working day like sitting down at your desk (or your car seat if you’re commuting), turning on your laptop, or checking your email.
2. Take a mindful breather as soon as you notice your stress levels rising
How do you know if you’re stressed? Tell-tale signs of tension in the body include a clenched jaw, tight shoulders, headaches and restricted breathing. If you’ve noticed any of these warning signs of stress, now’s the time to take a quick mindful breather. A breathing space meditation like this only takes a few moments but will bring you back to the here and now so you feel more settled and less stressed. Top tip: save a couple of your favourites in your bookmarks bar or homepage so it’s there ready when you need it (just google 'breathing space meditation' and you'll find a huge variety to choose from!).
3. Add mindfulness to your 20-20-20 breaks
Have you heard of the 20-20-20 rule? Experts suggest that to avoid straining our eyes those of us with screen-based jobs should be taking short breaks every 20 minutes to look 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds (set a timer or reminder on your phone if you’re likely to forget).
While you’re giving your eyes a break, why not incorporate some mindfulness too? What can you see 20 feet away from you? What colours, shapes, patterns, shadows? What’s moving and what’s still? What’s the sky doing? The clouds? The trees? Your eyes and your mind will thank you.
4. Beat the mid-afternoon slump with mindful movement
How often do you get the dreaded 3pm brain fog? It can be so hard to stay focussed at this time of day. Humans weren’t designed to sit still all day long so take every opportunity you can to move your body.
Have a meeting or webinar you don’t need to be on camera for? Watch it standing up! Do a few shoulder and neck rolls while you wait for the kettle to boil, or give your arms and hands a shake. Incorporate a short walk round the block into your lunch break (even better if you’re able to leave your phone at home). If you have a few minutes to spare, the world’s favourite yoga teacher (Adriene of course!) has a 6-minute ‘Yoga at your desk’ video you might like to try.
Want to learn more mindful strategies you can easily build into your working day?
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