This blog is all about making more mindful decisions in life and work, from the latest trends in mindfulness to how you can use it at home or work.
We don’t always do things that are best for us, whether that be eating healthily or even making our bed in the morning. It’s easy to fall into routines and habits that mean we no longer have to make decisions about what we do, but this can have a big impact on our lives. That’s where mindfulness comes in, as it encourages us to be more mindful of the decisions we make every day.
What is mindfulness?
In this article, I am going to begin by talking about what mindfulness is, where it comes from and what it can be used for. Once we have an understanding of what it is, I will be making suggestions as to how you can practice mindfulness in everyday life. Mindfulness has become a buzzword in recent times – especially within the business and wellness world. You may have been wondering what all the fuss is about and if it’s worth trying. It’s a fair question because at first glance, the idea of being mindful may not seem very appealing.
Mindfulness is a very simple concept. Its principle is paying attention to the present moment, accepting and participating in it with non-judgmental awareness. Mindfulness is not new. It has been around since the beginning of time and its benefits have been proven by science. Another way to regard mindfulness is simply being more aware of your thoughts, actions, and surroundings. It’s a way to train yourself to respond rather than react.
How do I use it at work?
Most often we think of mindfulness as a way to help us in our personal life. Yoga classes, calmer friends, or switching to decaf can all be helpful in reducing stress and anxiety. But does practicing mindfulness have the same benefits when introduced into the workplace? Can training your mind at work really be helpful in your day-to-day activities? If you’re asking yourself these questions then you’re not alone.
Developing awareness of the present moment at work is an essential skill for staying focused and productive. It's also one of the most challenging. Many of us struggle with pausing, slowing down, and shifting our focus from the external environment to mental prompts. But this is an essential tool for focusing on the task at hand. Many of us struggle with pausing, slowing down, and shifting our focus from the external environment to mental prompts. But this is an essential tool for focusing on the task at hand.
Recent studies show that workplace mindfulness might actually improve employee productivity and make the workplace a better place to work. After all the workplace can be one of the most stressful environments. With deadlines to meet and tasks to be completed, we sometimes need to learn how to get off the emotional hamster wheel.
How to re-set the mind through mindfulness
But how do we practice mindfulness? Well, it is actually simpler than you may think. Start with simple awareness of your immediate surroundings. Becoming mindful is the same as growing a garden. The first step is to develop an awareness about what you are doing to achieve mindfulness. There are a lot of different ways to practice mindfulness, but I’ll break it down for you. Mindfulness is defined as thinking about and focusing on one thing at a time while being aware of your surroundings and environment. It may seem trivial but it turns out that having too many things on our mind at once is a serious problem for us.
The best way to become more mindful is simply to focus on the breath. Learn to consciously control your breathing, ideally in through the nostrils, holding for a few seconds longer, and then breathing out slowly through the mouth. This helps trigger the parasympathetic nervous system which is essentially the body’s restore, re-set, recharge mechanism.
If you would like to learn this very useful method for calming the mind and body then click here
Be a single tasker
Single-tasking is ignoring everything but the thing you're working on at that moment. When you multi-task, you try to do two or more things at once, like talking on the phone while driving (don't do that). Single-tasking is when you focus on one thing at a time. Single-tasking leaves no room for distractions, like checking social media or playing a game. When you combine single-tasking with self-control, you become more productive and efficient.
Use mindful reminders
Most people who’ve read about or undertaken training in mindfulness appreciate the benefits of mindful living. However, they often forget to be mindful! The reason you forget to be mindful is that your brain’s normal mode is to be habitually lost in your own thoughts, running a sort of internal narrative. This is the default mode. Your brain is designed to think and be creative when you're in a low-energy state. If you're in that state when your brain should be working, you won't be as productive. If you're in a state of distraction, you can't be creative. You can't plan new things. If you operate on auto-pilot, you can't respond appropriately to your circumstances. So set a reminder, especially at break times to stop and pay attention to what’s going on. Become aware of your thoughts and feelings so you can become more engaged and present.
In conclusion
Mindfulness is about adopting a growth mindset. Mindfulness is about giving attention to the present moment and not judging your innate talent or intelligence, but being open to new possibilities. When you adopt a growth mindset at work, you don’t mind getting negative feedback as you view it as a chance to discover something new. You don’t mind taking on new responsibilities because you’re curious about how you’ll cope. You expect and move towards challenges, seeing them as opportunities for inner growth. That’s the essence of mindfulness at work—believing that you can improve and grow with experience, moving towards challenges, living in the moment, and discovering new things about yourself and others. This article has aimed to offer an introduction to a variety of common mindfulness techniques. As you continue to practice, and read more about mindfulness you will find that your own personal practice will take on a life of its own. Your mindfulness practice will be unique to you, and it will reflect your needs and interests.
Here at the Cumbria Hypnosis Mindfulness Clinic, we teach you how to remain calm and present and deal with people you come into contact with on a daily basis. Mindfulness skills and principles are timeless so you will carry them forward in your life. This is a very effective program, there are many testimonials of people who have transformed their lives by working with us which you can find on our Google reviews page, so please click here if you would like to find out more or explore more options.
About the author
David Faratian is the principal hypnotherapist at The Cumbria Hypnosis Mindfulness Clinic. He founded Cumbria Hypnosis in 2006 and since then it has consistently been one of the highest-rated and reputable hypnotherapy clinics across Cumbria, South Lakes, and The Northwest. David specializes in a full range of psychological issues and has a dedicated site devoted to each issue. Visit www.cumbria-hypnosis.com
Comments