“Our true home is the now. To live in the present moment is a miracle.” That's how Buddhist monk and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Thich Nhat Hanh describes mindfulness, and let's face it, he knows what he's talking about. Mindfulness has come a long way since it was first handed over to yoga gurus and devotees, and is now rightly recognized as an important workplace tool for supporting employee well-being.
In fact, mindfulness in the workplace is more important than ever in an age where we are used to being constantly connected, distracted by phones, emails, text messages and social media. Practicing mindfulness meditation can improve productivity, mental well-being, resilience and reduce stress by decreasing worries about “what might happen”.
Here are some simple tips to follow to practice mindfulness in your daily activities.
Breathe
It may seem obvious, after all we all breathe, right? But breathing can have a big impact on our well-being. In times of stress, try inhaling and exhaling deeply three times, thinking only of your breathing. Eliminate any other thoughts, stay calm and focus on the present moment. Maybe mark it as a daily appointment in your diary.
Express gratitude
You can spend your whole day at work, not knowing what is going on around you. However, take the time to recognize the contributions of your team members and express gratitude for all that they do. This simple act can improve the morale of the entire team and make you feel more satisfied with your work environment.
Focus on the present
You undoubtedly have a lot of things to do and many others that are running through your head. Choose one and make sure you give it your full attention. Concentrate only on that one and don't think about anything else: don't worry about what you have to do next or what you did before, and don't get distracted by other tasks.
Send mindful emails
We send out countless emails every day without even thinking about it. Instead, the next time you send one, take a moment to breathe deeply and examine what you wrote. Is it really what you meant to write? How will it make the recipient feel? Focus on each email carefully, to bring home a positive result.
Everything seems so better after a nice cup of tea, right? No wonder it's one the most popular hot beverage, originally grown in China some 5000 years ago! Green tea has remained popular in Asia whereas us Brits, as well as many other English-speaking countries, favor black tea.