At work, a lot happens; there are times you feel stressed, a bit worked up, or you feel your mental health is on the verge. But all that happens because, maybe one lacks that space to think, meditate, be present and self-aware. Mindfulness is maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of your thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, through a gentle, nurturing lens. Sam Kwizera, a coder based in Canada, says that to be more mindful at work is to start your day with a clear decision or intention. Work in spaces that give you peace. Net photo. You need to be focused on your work as well as managing your mental health. To do that, you need to set a clear intention of what you want for the rest of the day; is it finishing all your given tasks, and also taking care of yourself at the same time? So being mindful is understanding what you want and actually setting intentions that will benefit you at the end of the day, he says. Afsana Uwase, a sales agent, explains that if a person wants to be more mindful they should avoid multitasking as it is what disrupts their peace. “Many people believe that getting done with all the tasks in a few hours requires multitasking, but that is inviting stress in your life, you won’t be focused at all and you will certainly feel bad if you don’t finish any of your tasks.” She therefore recommends accomplishing one task at a time and maintain balance for work and life. Appreciating yourself and your achievements is also part of being mindful, says Isaac Nsengiyumva, an engineer. “Being aware that you are doing well, even when no one congratulates you is also a form of self-care, as well as being more mindful of your capacity and ability,” he notes. He also points to cutting off draining energy and be able to enjoy your success without seeking validation. In an article by mindful.org magazine, a few tips were shared on how to be more mindful at work: Be consciously present Mindfulness is, above all, being aware and awake rather than operating unconsciously. When you’re consciously present at work, you’re aware of two aspects of your moment-to-moment experience—what’s going on around you and what’s going on within you. Mindful work means to be consciously present in what you’re doing, while you’re doing it, as well as managing your mental and emotional state. If you’re writing a report, mindfulness requires you to give your full attention. Use short mindful exercises at work Mindful exercises train your brain to be more mindful. The more mindful exercises you do, the easier your brain finds it to drop into a mindful state, thus optimising your brain function. In the busy workplace, finding time for a 30-minute mindful exercise can be difficult. So does that mean you can’t be mindful at all at work? No. Mindful exercises can be as short as you wish. Even one minute of consciously connecting with one of your senses can be classified as a mindful exercise. You don’t need to close your eyes. You don’t even need to be sitting down. Use mindful reminders The word “mindful” means to remember. Most people who’ve read about or undertaken training in mindfulness appreciate the benefits of mindful living. Unfortunately, they keep forgetting to be mindful! The reason you forget to be mindful is that your brain’s normal (default) mode is to be habitually lost in your own thoughts—running a sort of internal narrative. When you’re going about your usual daily activities, your brain switches you into this low-energy state, which is unmindful, almost dreamy.
