5 Mindfulness Business Practices

Perhaps you’ve noticed that you’re feeling scattered at work, or frustrated by your team’s distraction in meetings or simply disconnected from your coworkers. You’re not alone – in a recent study, 70% of individuals admit to being distracted at work. Want to find ways to feel more connected and break the “distraction habit”? Let’s empower you with five mindful business practices to start your day right and keep it moving in a positive direction. 

1. Start your day right – Mindfulness begins before you boot up your computer. In fact, I believe it begins before you even leave your home. Start your day with a clear, calm mind by engaging in a simple, quick mindfulness practice before you head off to work. I start my day with an exercise I developed several years ago: the GLOWY Daily Reflection Practice. You can download your free GLOWY Daily Reflection Practice worksheet and practice it today. Sometimes I write my responses out, other times I speak it out loud or think my responses. GLOWY is a wonderful way to focus on a positive outlook as well as what needs to be uplifted in your life. Starting my day with this practice means I feel known, seen, and cherished – and I feel empowered to take on whatever the day throw my way.
2. Monday morning mindfulness – Every Monday morning our team gathers to practice mindfulness before our Monday morning team meeting. Some weeks it’s a shark breathing exercise (more on this in a future blog post!), or a star breathing exercise. Some weeks it’s a happy place visualization or a tea meditation. No matter the form it takes, it allows us space to pause and connect to ourselves and our teammates. We consistently start our week calmer and more focused thanks to these mindful moments. 
3. Take 3 deep breaths – Time and again, studies have shown that breathing is an excellent and immediate way to reduce stress. For me, this means pausing before every meeting to take 3 deep breaths. Ground yourself and fill your body with oxygen. I envision my brain drinking in oxygen as I breathe in, and releasing all the thoughts and emotions that no longer serve me as I breathe out. This helps me begin a meeting in the right frame of mind. 
4. Silence the noise – Turn off all notifications (yes, even computer notifications) while in meetings. Focus is king in a mindful business. This is one simple way to give your full presence, and honor the time of your teammates and clients. 
5. Walk and talk – Your presence is powerful. Give it to your team by taking a “Walk and Talk”, which is what we call an outdoor walking meeting. Sometimes there’s an agenda, sometimes not. But with our team’s Walk and Talks, there’s always plenty of opportunity to stop and gush over the fuchsia hibiscus that’s as big as my face, or marvel at the ancient tree roots furled and flanking the sidewalk. We let nature and conversation fill our senses as we commune with our teammates and the great outdoors. We often return to our office with gentle smiles on our faces, ready to engage in the next project. Time well spent. 

How do you incorporate mindfulness into your work life? 

Sources: 

7 Most Common Distractions at Work (Lifehack)

Just Breathe: Body has a built in stress reliever (NPR)