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I am often asked: how do I stop my mind racing? How can I enjoy more peacefulness and happiness?
The truth is that there are definitive rules to help you make this journey…practical tips for bringing mindfulness into your everyday. They are pretty simple but not always easy to put into practice. We have been conditioned to behave in certain ways that may not be serving us. The world we live in exacerbates this situation because there are so many options for distraction and mindlessness. Gandhi’s words point to the truth: “BE the change you wish to see in the world”. So, if you want a quieter mind and to enjoy more peacefulness and happiness, practice being still, training your attention intentionally or bringing mindfulness into every moment of your day…

10 Practical Tips for bringing Mindfulness into your workday

Here are 10 tips for bringing Mindfulness into your Workday where most of us spend a huge portion of our lives. Scientific research supports the value of these practical tips on health, wellbeing and effectiveness.

  • Though it is counter-intuitive, when we slow down and do less, we accomplish more

 


mindfulness-at-work-top-tip-1-start-with-a-morning-ritual
1.   Start the day with a morning ritual…          some quiet time alone when you can practice a guided meditation or take a slow quiet walk outside, or sip a hot lemon drink. Make sure you count 3 blessings, savour the stillness, smile and feel glad to be alive.
mindfulness-at-work-top-tip-2-optimise-the-8020-rule
2.   Use the first hour of your workday to do your planning, prioritising, scheduling of important v urgent activities. Make decisions and delegate while you are at your best. Optimise the 80 / 20 rule.
mindfulness-at-work-top-tip-3-posture-be-in-your-body
3.   Throughout the day, BE IN YOUR BODY, aware when you move, notice your posture. Shoulders raised?  Jaw clenched? Any tension being held? Let it go, straighten up, let your shoulders drop, soften your skin and start over… (if you get a chance, you can do a body scan)

mindfulness-at-work-top-tip-4-resist-multitaking-and-rushing

4.  Resist the habit of rushing and multi-tasking and cultivate a new one – Mindful Work. Research clearly shows that multitasking does not work. It’s makes us slower, more error prone, stressed and maybe damaging our brains! Intentionally single tasking and moving with less effort requires practice. Remember strategies of: acceptance, patience, trust, non judgement, non striving, beginners mind and letting go.

mindfulness-at-work-top-tip-5-intentionally-pause-and-breath5.   Intentionally PAUSE and connect with your breathing often; especially if you have been triggered or feel stressed / under pressure. Where do you feel your breath most vividly? Move your full attention there and settle into the rhythm of your breathing.

mindfulness-at-work-top-tip-6-listen-and-attend-fully-to-people

6.   In meetings and when communicating with others, really listen and give your attention… not just to the words but the tone of voice, body language, to what may not being said… Notice judgements and see if you can stay open and curious.

mindfulness-at-work-top-tip-7-manage-technology-consciously
7.   Make conscious choices about managing technology; turn off notifications and make a plan to manage email, phone, texts. Before you begin a task / take a call, give yourself 10 secs to know your intention, so you don’t waste opportunities.
mindfulness-at-work-top-tip-8-encourage-a-positive-and-powerful-state

  1. Encourage a positive and powerful state… Reverse the mind’s tendency to give more attention to negative experiences by becoming aware of self talk and choosing to lighten up and smile when you hear the inner critic. Intentionally changing the body into a power pose in an evaluative situation has been proven to improve performance and lower cholesterol by 30%, so why not give it a try?
mindfulness-at-work-top-tip-9-lighten-up-smile-be-kind-and-generous9.   Smile more (you will live longer and lots of other great gifts!). Engage in random acts of kindness and generosity whenever there is an opportunity. Notice how it lifts your mood and everyone else’s too as emotions are highly contagious!
mindfulness-at-work-top-tip-10-fill-your-cup-do-what-replenishes-you

  1. Leave work at work and BE fully present at home. Change your clothes, do something you love (even if its only a few minutes!).. this increases your energy and motivation (it is essential to fill your own cup). Set yourself up for a replenishing night’s sleep, not forgetting to count 3 blessings before you nod off (maybe even write them down for more powerful results!).

These TIPS were written by Joanne O’Malley, Mindfulness at Work.
Interested in learning more about Mindfulness at Work Training?    Please get in touch
We offer  Workplace Talks, Mindfulness at Work Workshops & Courses and Mindful Leadership & Emotional Intelligence Training.