How To Stay Mindful in The Workplace 

Schedule Mindfulness Sessions into Your Day to Day

Mindfulness is a muscle. It can be exercised, strengthened, and honed. It can be practised in very minor ways and leave lasting effects. A mindfulness practice could be done for five minutes in the car every morning, on your commute to work, or on a mid-day walk. During these moments, don’t engage with technology. Instead of being aware of what’s on your phone or in your inbox, be aware of what’s around you. Remember, it’s not important to have a certain experience. You don’t need to force anything. Mindfulness is inviting your senses back into your radar and not judging the experience. “In eight-week programs where people practise this daily, they’ve taken MRI scans of the brain before and after. There are real changes in the brain, both in structure and functionality.” It only takes eight weeks to transform your mind. If you want to go to the next level with your practice, you can take a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Course.

Find Ways to Regulate Your Nervous System

If we focus only on our mind and our cognitive capabilities, we cut off communication between our brain and body. If your senses are under or over-stimulated, it becomes hard to engage with them. It is extremely important to find the practices that allow you to relax and regulate your nervous system. This looks different for different people – trust your instincts. One thing that everyone can try is breathing exercises. Dr Boss recommends “more exhalation than inhalation.” Another necessity is finding ways to move your body. This could look like a daily yoga practice, a nature-run, or a long walk. Do what feels good for your body. When our nervous system is calm, we welcome it into the present moment instead of trying to escape it.

Have Boundaries in Place

When you love your work and achieve milestones, it’s very easy to think it’s the only thing that matters. We were built to do things and achieve, but our only purpose is not to provide value to the workforce. We have to make room for family, friends, and personal time. There has to be boundaries in place. This allows us to turn up to work better versions of ourselves. Dr Boss uses this metaphor to explain: “Just like on a plane: put your mask on before your neighbour’s. You must ensure you are regulated before working with others.” This might look like leaving your phone in another room for an hour every morning or night. It can be scheduled in time with friends or family. It can be no work on weekends. There needs to be a clear line between your life and your work – otherwise, the two will blend and become one.