Practice mindfulness at work via these eight tips:
1. Eliminate distractions.
If you work remotely, then you know that you can enjoy boosted productivity since you don’t have to deal with noisy coworkers, meetings, and other time vampires. That said, it’s really easy to become distracted when you work from home, especially if you’re not vigilant about your time. If you can’t trust yourself to stay off of social media, especially when you have a project due at the end of the day, it’s vital to learn how to keep distractions at bay.
2. Just breathe.
Big deep breaths and chanting “Om” would seem like the quickest route to mindfulness—and rightly so. Getting in touch with your breathing (some people tend to be shallow breathers) can help you improve your concentration, remove the mental chatter going on in your brain, lower your blood pressure, and lead to more peace. So if you don’t have time to whip out a yoga mat, standing at your desk and practicing better breathing can have positive effects on both the mind and body.
3. Focus on listening.
It’s hard to be in the present if you’re always thinking about what has to be done. The next time you’re speaking with your boss or a colleague, stop thinking about everything else—and focus on the person in front of you. Quieting your mind can make all the difference between having a meaningful conversation or not.
4. Feed your body.
Sure, you want to achieve mindfulness, but you can’t attain that without caring of your body, too. That means eating healthy during the day—even your snacks should be healthy, too. Eating well can improve your concentration, give you more energy, and carve the way for creating a mindful path.
5. Take breaks.
Those who practice mindfulness know that allowing the mind and body to take breaks is essential. Unfortunately, this is something that remote workers can sometimes have a problem doing, since studies show that they tend to sit longer (and work harder) than in-office workers. So take the time to exercise—or at the very least, get up every 60 minutes or so to stretch your legs.
6. Stop multitasking.
It’s hard to be mindful when your mind is racing all over the place. That’s why you should streamline your efforts to only one task at a time. After all, if you’re working on just one project at a time, you’re bound to be more focused and present at your work, rather than trying to accomplish multiple to-do’s at the same time. Take the time to do one task (and one task well), and you’re guaranteed to be calmer and more in the moment.
7. Be aware of the stressors.
Nothing can rob you of your inner calm quicker than stress. Whether it’s an overwhelming workload, a boss who tends to raise his voice, or a colleague who cuts you off during meetings, you might find that you’re more stressed (and not mindful) when you’re at work. If you’re under a lot of pressure, figure out what’s wrong, so that way you can make it right. Restoring the peace within you will keep you happily at peace in the workplace.
8. Adopt an attitude of gratitude.
People who are mindful often try to be humble and grateful as they go about their day. They view their boss assigning them a new task as a sign that they value them and know they’re competent (as opposed to seeing it as simply more work to do). They are thankful for their work flexibility and the ability to attend to professional and personal errands with ease. Having that ability to be grateful directly impacts their ability to be mindful—and happy—in their lives.
