How To Practice Mindfulness In 7 Steps With Benefits

Updated 30 September 2022

Being aware of your current position, how it makes you feel and what you are experiencing increases happiness and for remaining happy at the workplace, many people practice mindfulness. It is the process that helps draw the conscious mind's attention to the present moment and makes people less reactive and feel calmer in their daily life. In the workplace, if you are trying to focus on complex tasks and find it difficult to remain happy, consider practising mindfulness. In this article, we understand how to practice mindfulness, explore reasons to incorporate it and discover some tips to keep in mind.

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the basic ability to be aware of what you are feeling and sensing at the moment. Practising mindfulness helps you live in the present and it means being aware of every moment. It also involves being completely engaged in what is happening in your work environment. Mindfulness is also having knowledge and awareness of your mind, body and feelings in the present moment.

How to practice mindfulness

To understand how to practice mindfulness, follow these seven steps:

1. Practice meditation

Mediation is a popular way to practice mindfulness and increase your happiness level in the workplace. When you practice meditation, it makes you aware of your environment. This helps in calming the body and mind and helps you relax. In the long-run, meditation can enhance your ability to focus and help in boosting your overall cognitive ability and functioning. Though there are various ways to practice meditation, start by sitting in a comfortable position, closing your eyes and focusing on your breathing. Implementing a meditation practice in your schedule can help you focus on your work.

2. Focus on different breathing techniques

For someone who lacks time due to work pressure or other reasons, consider practising various breathing techniques. You can practice breathing techniques in your office while commuting or at home. Focussing on each inhalation and exhalation can relax your body and mind. These techniques help reduce stress levels and lower blood pressure and heart rate. This reduces depression and decreases the risk of employees feeling unsatisfied.

3. Take short breaks throughout the day

If you find it difficult to focus on your work during office hours, it is essential to take regular breaks. Mindfulness can help in refocusing your mind and recharging your energy. Take a few minutes to refocus and boost your energy. When you take regular breaks, you can use this time to think about your feelings and prevent your mind from wandering in a different direction. To make the most of your break, pay attention to the feelings preventing you from focusing on your work.

4. Practice gratitude

Another way of incorporating mindfulness is practising gratitude. So, every day write three things you are grateful about. This way, practising gratitude can help you live in the present and cherish simple things in life. It helps you forget the past and you no longer worry about the future. Though this exercise takes only a few minutes per day, it can help in improving your well-being and performing work-related duties with perfection.

5. Prioritise connections

Feeling connected with colleagues and managers in the workplace can boost your physical and mental well-being. Having a sense of togetherness with colleagues can help you succeed in your workplace. So, to build workplace relationships, take part in team meetings, outings or online programs that your company organises. You can even try writing letters to your friends and colleagues to see how they are doing. Prioritising your connections can help you incorporate mindfulness in your workplace and allow you to perform to the best of your capabilities.

6. Write your accomplishments

Often, you do not realise your work accomplishments unless you write about all the positive things that happened. So, before leaving office, write about the success you achieved. Knowing about your accomplishments makes you feel better about your day and the organisational goals you achieved. It allows you to relax because you spend the day thinking about the day's accomplishments. Also, after listing your accomplishments, read them the following day to feel motivated. It helps you set up for another successful day.

7. Exercise and stretch

Mindfulness also involves being aware of your physical well-being along with your mental health. Regardless of whether you work in front of the computer or go out in the field, spend a few minutes exercising. Stretching or exercising during lunch hours or break time can help you reduce anxiety and refill your energy levels. Exercising and stretching now and then can increase blood pumping and rejuvenate your body such that you feel strong and capable. Pay special attention to body parts that feel tight or ache so that you can care about those parts after returning from your desk.

Why practice mindfulness?

Mindfulness changes the physiology of the body and the brain so that a person feels motivated, healed and protected. Practising mindfulness can help you in different ways, including:

Lowers stress level: People who follow mindfulness can reduce stress and strengthen the mind's ability to manage stress. Often, constantly incorporating mindfulness can protect you from future stress and anxiety.
Ensures better memory: Mindfulness can help in boosting your memory in the workplace. If you frequently forget the document's location or find it challenging to recollect things, practising mindfulness can help you sharpen your memory.
Increases emotional regulation: Often, employers prefer candidates who can identify and manage their feelings. Employees who showcase emotional regulations are the ones who can complete their work-related duties with perfection and effectively manage their work relationships.
Helps in problem-solving: Practising mindfulness can help in improving your problem-solving skills. It provides you with a different approach to thinking about a problem and helps in processing information to find workable solutions.
Facilitates creativity: Many job roles require creative candidates and employers prefer candidates who regularly practice mindfulness. It helps liberate your brain from distractions so that you can think more innovatively and creatively.
Enhances empathy for others: Incorporating mindfulness in the workplace allows you to understand the minds of others, resonate emotionally and build empathy.
Increases productivity: Being able to adapt to changing work environment is essential for ensuring productivity in the workplace. Being mindful improves your information processing speed and enhances your overall workplace performance.
Improves your focus: Regularly meditating and training on mindfulness can improve your ability to focus on one thing. With a focused mind, you can multi-task and ensure timely and quality completion of work.
Enhances resilience: Since mindfulness focuses on living in the present and being aware of the environment, it can help you approach stressful situations. This ensures that you can easily adapt to the changing requirement when workplace changes take place and become more resilient.
Enhances communication: When you incorporate mindfulness in your daily schedule, you can remain focused and listen to what others in the workplace say. When you engage in active conversation with colleagues, it enhances workplace relationships and fosters a communication culture.

Tips for practising mindfulness

Some tips for practising mindfulness are:

Avoid buying anything: You can practice mindfulness anywhere and you do not buy anything for it. For incorporating mindfulness, you only need a little time and some space.
Focus on one thing at a time: When incorporating mindfulness, focus on only one thing at a time. When you try to focus on more than one task at a time, you get overwhelmed and may not complete the work to the best of your abilities.
Eat mindfully: When practising mindfulness, focusing on eating your meal without television, paper, computer or smartphone can help you relax your mind.
Start a day on a positive note: When you start your day on a positive note, it can help you reduce stress. You can read a positive quote, exchange thoughts on gratitude or start a daily meeting with a positive story.
Spend time outside: While incorporating mindfulness, spending time amidst nature or fresh air can be more relaxing and beneficial than you think. Apart from preventing heart diseases and depression, it can also help employees be more productive.
Slow down processes: Slow down all your processes, whether you are creating an official report or drinking your favourite tea. When you give thoughtful attention to your daily activities, it helps improve focus and prevents you from feeling overwhelmed.