Maintaining mindfulness at work

Staying calm is one of the key ways to stay mindful and present. If you’re having a tough time, reach out to family members or close friends and coworkers. They may be able to offer assistance and support as you tackle your stress.

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Stretching is a popular way to reduce stress and stay in tune with your body. Practices such as yoga may improve your mood and decrease your anxiety. You can try several yoga-like stretches at your desk to become more mindful:

• Shoulder rolls . Sitting upright, lift your shoulders to your ear, and slowly roll your shoulder around your back, away from your ear. Alternate left and right, and go slowly
• Twist . In your office chair, swivel your thighs toward the right side of the chair so you are sitting diagonally on the seat, and hold
• Leg extension . Grab your chair and, with a little space in front of you, stretch your legs out straight and hold it. Flex your toes forward to fully extend your legs

Check out some other yoga exercises from Yoga Instructor, Donna I.

Another technique is to tune out the world and just focus on your breathing. This may have a number of benefits to keeping mindful, including relaxing your muscles and heartbeat, and decreasing your blood pressure. Find a quiet place in your office, sit, and close your eyes. Breathe in slowly through your nose, and breathe out slowly through your mouth. Once you get the hang of it, deep breathing may be a very helpful way to de-stress and become more mindful.

If you’re feeling chaotic and out-of-whack, try organizing your time. Time management may reduce your stress, helping you be more aware of your daily life and surroundings. One great way to start organizing your time is downloading a calendar application to your smartphone and organizing your priorities there. Apps can also send you helpful reminders when a meeting is coming up or a project is due. Since most people always have their phone with them, you don’t have to worry about missing something, giving you some peace of mind.

Sometimes, if you’re really stressed at your job and are having a hard time staying mindful, all you need is a little break. A short vacation could help you “recharge your batteries.” If you can’t take a long time off work or afford to travel, you could just have a “staycation.” This is where you take off, stay at home, and do things you enjoy around the house. You may come back to work de-stressed and more mindful of your job.