Practicing the Art of Mindfulness at Work

Have you ever tried to quiet your busy ‘monkey mind’ at work? Is there an inner drill sergeant in your head barking orders at you regarding all your unread emails, unfinished projects, deadlines and meeting agendas? Well mindfulness can help you ‘drown out’ your drill sergeant. Practicing mindfulness at work, and even in your personal life, is a dedicated practice that takes focused initiative on your part…and it may not come easy to you.

What is mindfulness?

According to Jon Kabat-Zinn, mindfulness is defined as ‘paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.’ A lot of people get mindfulness and awareness mixed up…they are not the same. For example, you can be aware that you’re going for a walk but that’s only vaguely aware. Practicing mindfulness while going for a walk is about being totally focused on where you are, all your body movements, feeling the ground beneath feet, noticing the wind and the warmth of the sun on your skin and thinking of nothing else. It's about paying attention in a much more focused way through the use of all your senses in the act of walking. It can mean sitting in a chair and being very aware of your breath, the rise and fall of your chest and any sensations you may be feeling inside your body. As you do this, thoughts may come and go but you are not judging them. It’s as if they float through your mind like clouds calmly moving in the sky. You are simply observing the thought and, through being mindful of them, you allow it to pass so you can bring yourself back into the present going inward to re-connect with yourself and your body. Being mindful allows your mind to focus on the present moment and nothing else.

Mindfulness is not just meditating on a pillow on the floor in lotus position chanting mantras. Mindfulness is a calm and quiet practice of being in the now. We are not thinking about the future nor the past, we are not craving anything, and we’re not worried about anything. Mindfulness allows us to just BE.

Mindfulness at Work

We are living in a very busy and demanding world. At work, we are constantly distracted, or in a state of partial attention where our focus is on more than one thing. Working in this way eventually causes mental exhaustion and can even lead to headaches, insomnia and other health related issues.

When people are constantly faced with endless emails, texts, meetings, projects, deadlines, interruptions from co-workers and clients, and all the other distractions we typically face in any given day, the brain goes into an illusionary crisis mode which causes the flight-or-fight response. Our bodies start to tremble, we may begin to perspire, we feel butterflies in our stomach and we begin to panic. If you can stop when you notice this response, observe what’s happening to you psychologically, emotionally and physically, and take a breath.  This will give yourself time to pause and assess whether your thoughts and emotions are valid. Are you truly in danger? What’s the crisis? If you can’t find a reason for this panicky state you’re in, you're in a better position to calm yourself down and get back to reality. By doing so you get out of the amygdala in the brain, which doesn’t let you think, and into your prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for decision making and reasoning.

Although stopping in the middle of a work crisis and pausing to breathe may seem strange and unrealistic, people who practice mindfulness find they are more productive, calm, reasonable, experience better relationships at work, better interactions and better strategic thinking.

What if I’m a Leader?

Leaders who practice mindfulness experience less stress, improved communication with their employees and clients, enhanced leadership skills, improved health, increased clarity, enhanced creativity, and are better able to resolve conflicts in the workplace. Leaders who positively role model mindfulness, encourage their staff to be more connected to their ‘BEingness’, make great listeners, and look within to assess the source of their stress and discomfort. Mindful leaders embrace the concept of letting go and are less judgmental of what’s happening in the here and now. They also offer health and wellness courses that focus on being more mindful which in turns creates a happier and more productive workforce and work environment in which everyone thrives.

Conscious leaders are quickly emerging. They are very aware that conflict exists everywhere in the workplace. A root of conflict is reactivity and taking things personally. One of the main teachings of mindfulness is recognizing when we are reactive. It gives us a pause button, so we can have an emotional reaction but don’t have to play that behaviour out. A leader who takes the time to meditate and/or quiet the mind, is able to easily let go of compulsive, negative thinking in favour of positive results they are hoping for in their success as a leader. Through quieting the mind, leaders are able to reduce the worries, stress and anxiety that come with their positions. It lays a more stable foundation for a calm mind so that they can become the resourceful, strategic thinkers and visionaries their organizations need them to be.

Quick Tips for Practicing Mindfulness at Work

Picture this, you’re going into a meeting and you realize that you forgot to complete one of the action items on the previous meeting’s agenda. Your breathe starts to get labored, your heart begins to beat faster, a cold sweat breakouts on your forehead and your stomach ties into a knot. You are now panicking and your ‘flight-or-fight’ response has now kicked in to full throttle. This is the time to follow these steps which I remember as S.O.D.A.:

Stop – hit the pause button and don’t say or do anything yet. Calm yourself down and just breathe deeply.  Continue to breathe. When we are in panic mode, we catch our breath and most of us are not even aware of the fact that we’re not breathing.  This causes a lack of oxygen to the brain and we are unable to think clearly.

Observe – take a look around you. Are you in any immediate physical danger? You are in the office and walking towards the boardroom. What possible dangers could there be? Are your feelings and erratic thoughts validated? Chances are no so calm down. You will get through this. All things come to pass. You can ask for an extension of time to complete your project. If you are in danger, then I give you full permission to run out of the nearest exit, get out of the building, and seek help! What about your body? Tune into your body and notice your physiological responses as you start worrying that your boss is going to go through the roof because you didn’t finish that report said you would have ready for this meeting. Are your shoulders tense?

Detach – try to emotionally detach from the situation as you calmly pull your boss aside to explain to him/her that you didn’t complete the project. As you shift from your amygdala to the pre-frontal cortex of your brain you are able to strategically think of options. You can ask for an extension of time. You can go into the meeting, apologize for the delay, and talk conceptually about what your plans and ideas are with a promise that you will deliver hard copies to everyone later. You may not have your report but you can use the whiteboards in the boardroom to provide visuals as you explain what you’re working on. Even if your boss does get angry with you, later on he/she will calm down. Keeping emotionally detached from this situation will allow you to stay focused on what your boss is saying to you. If you remain in a state of panic, chances are you won’t even hear what he/she is saying to you as your amygdala races with thoughts of being fired or demoted. You may get scolded but very rarely do these situations end up in dismissal….so calm down, get grounded and breathe. There’s always time to make amends.

Awareness – by hitting the pause button, calming down and trying to assess the situation, you increase your awareness which gives you the space you need to become pro-active in the workplace crisis. At this point, you are very aware of what is happening within you and around you. You can now proceed with what you were doing. This is mindfulness and by practicing these quick tips, you will be able to shift your physiological responses so that you are able to properly function and move forward consciously and focused with purpose.

In this situation, if you hadn’t used S.O.D.A., you may have reacted poorly to your boss and said or done something you would have regretted.

Mindfulness as a daily practice

Incorporate the three-minute breathing space. Taking three short minutes to consciously breathe deeply from your lower belly can take you out of your head and into your body.

Enjoy peace and quiet in the morning. Before you turn on your computer and tackle all your emails, take some sacred time by yourself to drink your first cup of coffee or tea in stillness and silence, and let your mind settle like a snow globe. Snow globes are cloudy as the fake snow flies around inside the globe creating a winter scene. However, when snow globes are set down and stilled, they become clear…..just like your mind would be.

Walk mindfully. As you walk towards the printer, feel your feet stepping on the floor. Notice how you’re feeling, and your body movements. Listen to the sounds you hear around you. Mindfulness is reconnecting with our five senses, so notice the sights, sounds, and smells around you as you go about your day. It keeps the inner drill sergeant from barking at you reminding you of all the things you need to do.

So why do all this while at work? Because mindfulness creates a kinder, gentler workplace.

Lisa Schell, Business and Personal Coach for A Clear Pathway To You

www.clearpathwaytoyou.com | clearpathwaytoyou@gmail.com | 604.612.1450 

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