Have you ever been driving or walking somewhere and suddenly realized that you can’t remember the route you just took?
Or eaten a meal so quickly that you barely tasted it?
That’s what a lack of mindfulness feels like.
Mindfulness is the conscious directing of attention to what is happening here and now – without judging, analyzing or thinking about the past or future. It is the ability to be fully present in the moment, to notice your thoughts, emotions and body signals without automatically reacting to them.
Mindfulness and stress
Stress often results from excessive worrying about the future or dwelling on the past. Mindfulness helps us to stop this mechanism, giving us space to react consciously instead of automatically panicking.
Mindfulness at work helps to manage stress better, and increase concentration and efficiency. It is not about “turning off your thoughts”, but about consciously focusing on the present moment – without judging and unnecessary pressure.
How does mindfulness help at work?
- It reduces stress – it helps you react consciously instead of automatically panicking.
- Improves concentration – we are less likely to be distracted.
- Increases mental resilience – it makes it easier to deal with difficult situations.
- Improves relationships – it helps us to listen to and understand our colleagues better.
Exercise for mindfulness at work
1. Mindful break – stop for 1 minute
At work, we often act on the go, not noticing tension and stress. Try this exercise:
- Take a break from work. Close your eyes or focus your gaze on a single point.
- Take three deep breaths – feel the air filling your lungs and slowly leaving them.
- Pay attention to your body – are your shoulders tense, your jaw clenched? Relax them.
- Observe your thoughts for a moment, but don’t judge them. Just notice what’s going on.
- After a minute, go back to work – but consciously, with more self-control.
This simple exercise reduces stress and helps you to get back to work with a clearer head.
2. Listen carefully – focus on the conversation
How many times during a meeting do you think about what you are going to say next instead of listening to the other person? Listening carefully improves communication and reduces tension at work.
Exercise:
- During a conversation, focus exclusively on the other person – don’t think about what you will say later.
- Notice the other person’s tone of voice, body language and emotions.
- Refrain from interrupting – give yourself a few seconds to think of an answer.
- After the conversation, reflect on whether you were able to be truly present.
This exercise improves work relationships and reduces misunderstandings.
3. Focused work – concentrate on one task
Multitasking is a myth – being distracted between different tasks reduces productivity and causes stress. Try the “one task at a time” approach.
- Choose one task that you have to do.
- Turn off notifications and close unnecessary browser tabs.
- Focus only on this activity – if your mind wanders to other things, gently return to work.
- After completing the task, take a short break and only then move on to the next thing.
This way, you work more effectively and reduce the stress associated with the chaos of responsibilities.
Mindfulness: why is it worth practicing?
Work is often a source of stress, but we can learn to consciously manage our attention and emotions. Mindfulness does not require additional time – all we have to do is start paying more attention to what we are doing at the moment.
Key benefits of mindfulness at work:
- Greater concentration
- Less tension and stress
- Better relationships with colleagues
- More effective work
Try one of these exercises today and see how it will affect your everyday work!
Interesting websites and smartphone applications related to mindfulness that I thought might be of interest to us. I hope you’ll find them useful and supportive for our partners practice.
https://www.freemindfulness.org/
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/
Mindfulness Apps: https://www.headspace.com/