3 Simple Ways to Practice Mindfulness at Work

 

Would you like to feel less stress at work? How about feeling grounded, clear-headed and peaceful?  That translates into better decision-making, improved relationships, increased confidence and emotional stability. It’s possible and you can begin by practicing mindfulness.

 

Present moment awareness is about being conscious – fully awake.  It means that in every moment you are aware of what you are feeling and experiencing. Your focus is on the present moment instead of your thoughts racing into the past or future. 

 

It’s easy to confuse meditation with mindfulness. Both practices lead to greater self-awareness and contribute to personal growth and well-being. The difference is that meditation shifts your focus inward and mindfulness is an external experience.

 

You can practice mindfulness in the middle of your daily activities, wherever you are and at any time. It’s the practice of becoming fully aware of the present moment. It allows you to focus on your environment, thoughts, feelings and experiences without judgment but with clarity and acceptance. This allows for a neutral observance, helping to prevent emotional interference. 

 

Below are 3 simple ways to practice present moment awareness at work…

• Use an environmental cue to prompt you to focus your attention on your breathing. When you check your e-mail, pick up a pen or push the print key – that is your cue to remember to breathe slowly and deeply.
• Practice nonjudgmental observation of others. Quiet the habitual inner critic and allow others to be.
• When talking with another person, listen closely to what they’re saying instead of rehearsing what you want to say next.

The practice of mindfulness takes you off auto-pilot and heightens all of your senses as you develop the ability to be completely engaged in each moment. It slows you down, deepens the art of living and increases your cognitive abilities.

 

Definitely worth striving for.