Stop Rushing and Incorporate Some Mindfulness Into Your Day to Day Life

Posted on 28/07/2020 by Megan Nicholson

A lot of us here in the office are guilty of working straight through the day without taking a break; not giving ourselves a moment to really stop and to recharge and refocus.  This is where using the techniques of mindfulness in the workplace can result in unexpected benefits to your daily productivity.  Slowing down may feel counteractive but can really help you get more out of your day. 

My top techniques to feel more productive and focused throughout the day:

• Don’t book back to back meetings

Allow a small 5 minute break. This will not only help you if you are running a little behind but will also help you refocus and regroup in time for your next appointment

• Only do one thing at a time

The perception is that we should be able to do everything at once, otherwise known as multi-tasking. In reality, by doing this your brain is switching from one thing to the next and loses things in the process. You can become addicted to multi-tasking! Doing one thing at a time will result in you getting more done, not less!

• Take a break

Sounds simple but it’s so easy to become distracted and you find yourself not being able to be present in the moment. Take a breath, a pause; just for a minute to refocus your thoughts.

• Practice gratitude

I love this one. Write down each day, preferably in a diary or notebook (something that you can keep and look back on), the things that you are truly grateful for. This will result in a guaranteed automatic smile to yourself whenever you look back on what you have written.

• Eat away from your desk

You need to stop and take the take the time to eat away from your desk and really focus on the smell and texture of the food. Eat slowly, don’t rush through it and rush back to your desk. This is also much better for your digestion!

• When you leave the office

Turn off your phone on the way home. Even the beeping of messages in your bag is enough to raise your cortisol levels. Listen to music or podcasts and switch off. The calls, emails and texts can wait!

I hope you find these tips helpful. Incorporating even one of these techniques into your day to day routine is a great start and should result in immediate benefits to your wellbeing. 

Megan Nicholson