[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/06\/18\/mindfulness-at-work\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/06\/18\/mindfulness-at-work\/","headline":"A modern guide to mindfulness at work","name":"A modern guide to mindfulness at work","description":"Mindfulness at work is something we're hearing a lot about these days. It's supposed to make our lives better, but what is it, and can it help our careers?","datePublished":"2019-06-18","dateModified":"2022-06-08","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/contributor\/emily-kelly\/#Person","name":"Emily Morrow","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/contributor\/emily-kelly\/","identifier":216,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e1a6b9e9410da52a3baabbac612ba6017cee3e29053c47dc554eabe78303e0da?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e1a6b9e9410da52a3baabbac612ba6017cee3e29053c47dc554eabe78303e0da?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"The Future of Commerce","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/logo-foc-schema-app-1.png","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/logo-foc-schema-app-1.png","width":172,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/thumbnail-9108ad254e701d235c386904b9b8113d.jpeg","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/thumbnail-9108ad254e701d235c386904b9b8113d.jpeg","height":375,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/06\/18\/mindfulness-at-work\/","about":[{"@type":"Thing","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/purpose\/","name":"Purpose","sameAs":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Purpose"]},{"@type":"Thing","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/purpose\/purpose-general\/","name":"Purpose","sameAs":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Purpose"]}],"wordCount":1082,"keywords":["Chief Wellbeing Officer","Employee Advocacy","Employee Engagement","Employee Experience","Employee Mental Health","Health and Wellness","Mindfulness at Work"],"articleBody":"Mindfulness at work is something we’re hearing a lot about these days. It’s supposed to make our lives better, but what is it?We associate mindfulness with things like meditation, yoga, and deep breathing, and know that it\u2019s supposed to make us less stressed and more productive. But nailing down a practical, tangible explanation of what it means to be mindful, live mindfully, or practice mindfulness on a day-to-day basis can be challenging.Let\u2019s take a few minutes to define this seemingly nebulous topic and learn how you can actually work it into your already busy life.Mindfulness explained: What it is, what it isn’t, and how to get thereLots of explanations go something like: Mindfulness is the practice of being in the present moment, and accepting it in a non-judgmental way.This sounds nice, but doesn\u2019t provide much clarity.Let\u2019s start with what mindfulness isn\u2019t.Mindfulness isn\u2019t yoga, and it isn\u2019t meditation. Those are both extremely useful methods to improving mindfulness, but are not the thing itself. While \u201cmindfulness\u201d feels a bit harder to nail down, most people understand what it means to be mindless.When someone is acting mindlessly, they’re usually lacking purpose, direction, or attention. We all know what it feels like to mindlessly scroll through our social media feeds, or mindlessly binge a series on Netflix. We\u2019re there, but maybe only halfway. Our minds are wandering, without purpose or focus, and we become disengaged. We\u2019re running on auto-pilot.Mindfulness means the opposite: Being present and engaged with what’s happening in the moment. It\u2019s engaging with purpose and attention.SERENITY NOW! Nope, sorry, that’s not how it works: Mindfulness in our day-to-day lives definedBeing present: Focusing on the task at hand, instead of thinking about schedules, prior phone calls, or anything else on your to-do list.Being deliberate:\u00a0Moving through life with intention, not on auto-pilot.Being accepting: Not thinking about what you wish had happened, or how things could’ve been better, and instead working with what is.Seems simple, right? Simple, but not easy. Day-to-day life involves so many distractions at any given moment; we\u2019re constantly struggling to stay on top of our ever-increasing to-do list. Reining in our thoughts to focus on only one thing at a time can seem nearly impossible. But with practice, mindfulness can help transform how you work, and how you move through the rest of your life.      No, really, I’m fine: Stress is real – let’s talk about it                Stress can be a taboo word in business. Professionals want to project an image of calm and competence, but it's real. Let's discuss.      5 ways to incorporate mindfulness at workMindfulness at work has demonstrated a number of benefits. It reduces stress, improves attention span, and sparks creativity and innovation. It leads to better overall well-being, prevents burnout, and reduces employee turnover.Being mindful transforms our decision-making from reactionary to strategic. It helps us maintain perspective, bring our focus to what’s important and leads to a more fulfilling work-life. And it doesn\u2019t depend on a grand, formal mindfulness program.There are simple things you can do to start to make your workday more mindful:Set an intention for your day.Start your day with a few deep breaths, setting an intention of what you want to get done – what would make this day productive, impactful, successful. Throughout the day as life creeps up, pause and check back in with that intention and see if you’re on-track. Maybe even set reminders on your phone to get you into the practice.Make a priority list.If you\u2019re like me, your to-do list is more of a running task-list that carries over from day to day. It includes big things like assignments and brainstorms, and little things like emails to send. Unlike a to-do list, a priority list should be short – what are the one to three things you must accomplish today? Then minimize distractions – including other to-do\u2019s – as best you can until those tasks are complete.Pro-tip: Keep your to-do list nearby as you tackle bigger priorities. That way, as things pop into your head, trying to pry your attention away from the task at hand, you can simply add them to your to-do list to handle later, and get back to where you need to be.Take a \u201cminute to arrive.\u201dWhen work gets busy, it can be difficult to switch gears from one task to another, especially when meetings are scheduled back-to-back. When you start a new task or meeting, take a minute to breathe and mentally arrive at the present moment. It will help let your mind know that it\u2019s time to refocus, so you can give the new task your full attention.Stop. Multitasking.Multitasking has long been glorified in work culture, but it\u2019s just not effective. Don\u2019t do five things sub-par when you can do one thing well. When you\u2019re in a meeting, turn off email and be in the meeting. By giving your attention fully, you’ll prevent needing to go through the same material later. Embrace the power of the \u2018Do Not Disturb\u2019 setting on your phone to reduce distractions, and get out of the habit of checking your device every few minutes.Pro-tip: Most phones have a setting to assign certain contacts the ability to reach you, even when your phone is on Do Not Disturb. So you can silence all your distractions, but still be available in case of emergencies.At the end of the day, turn it off.Part of being mindful at work means turning work off at the end of the day, giving your brain a chance to recharge so you can be more focused and attentive tomorrow. While technology makes it easy to be available 24\/7, setting boundaries and giving yourself time to \u2018clock out\u2019 prevents burnout and makes you more effective in the long-run.The best part about mindfulness is that it\u2019s available to anyone. No special certifications or equipment are required, and it\u2019s not a fundamental change to who you are. It\u2019s simply using the tools already in your toolbox in a slightly different way, allowing you to make the most out of each moment.  Work doesn’t work like it once did.Win, retain, and grow talent in a changing, competitive landscape. Real-life proof points \u2192HERE."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2019","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"06","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/\/06\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"18","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/\/06\/\/18\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"A modern guide to mindfulness at work","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/06\/18\/mindfulness-at-work\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]