What is Mindfulness? And how can it be applied at work? When you exercise these ways to stay mindful throughout your workday, you will master important facets of daily life. Check out the 10 tips for being more mindful at work derived from Mindfulness at Work For Dummies by Shamash Alidina and Juliet Adams. Learn more here: bit.ly/MindfulnessAtWork

1. 10WaystoBeMoreMindfulatWork

2. WhatisMindfulness?
Mindfulnessatworkisallabout
dedevelopingawarenessofthoughts,
emotions,andphysiologyandhow
theyinteractwithoneanother.
Mindfulnessisalsoaboutbeing
awareofyoursurroundings,help-
ingyoubetterunderstandthe
needsofthosearoundyou.
10WaystoBeMoreMindfulatWork

3. WhyBeMoreMindfulatWork?
Researchconcludesthatmindfulnessatworkcan:
Helpemployeesdeveloppositivestrategiesfordealingwith
highlystressfulenvironmentsandworkpressures
Enableemployeestodealbetterwithcomplexity
Enhanceemployeeself-regulationofthoughts,emotionsand
behaviorsandmakethemmoreresilientwhenfacing
ofchallenges
Improvetaskperformance
10WaystoBeMoreMindfulatWork

4. TIP1.BeConsciouslyPresent
Inotherwords,stayawake:beawareof2aspectsofyour
moment-to-momentexperience:
Buthow?
what’sgoingonaroundyou what’sgoingonwithin
yourworkplace
1 2
10WaystoBeMoreMindfulatWork

5. TIP1.BeConsciouslyPresent
Someideastohelpyoustopbeingmindlessand
unconsciousatworkandmoremindfulandpresent:
Decideatthestartofyourworkdaytobepresentasbest
youcan.Pauseforafewmomentsbeforeyouturnonyour
computertosetthisintentioninyourmind.
MakeanefforttoWORKmoreconsciously,evenifthatmeans
youworkslowlyatrst.Doingsowillpayoffinthelongrun.
Connectwithyoursensesratherthangettinglostintrainsof
thoughtwhenperformingatask.
10WaystoBeMoreMindfulatWork

6. TIP2.UseShortMindfulExercisesatWork
Mindfulexercisestrainyourbraintobemoremindful.
Themoremindfulexercisesyoudo,theeasieryour
braincandropintoamindfulstate,thusoptimizing
yourbrainfunction.Closeyourofficedoororplugin
yourearphones,andplaytheshortaudiotrackforthese
twoeasy,relaxingexercises.
MindfulMinute
http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-821760.html
1.Centeryourself(20seconds)
2.Acknowledgewhat’sgoingon(20seconds)
3.Takeamindfulpause(20seconds)
Three-StepBodyCheck
hhttp://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-821759.html
10WaystoBeMoreMindfulatWork

7. TIP3.BeaSingle-Tasker
Whatissingle-tasking?
Multi-taskingistryingtodotwo
ormoretasksatthesametimeor
switchingbackandforthbetween
tasks.Nobodycanactuallymulti-task.
IInreality,yourbrainismadlyswitch-
ingfromonethingtothenext,often
losingdataintheprocess.
10WaystoBeMoreMindfulatWork

8. TIP4.UseMindfulReminders
Evertrytoremembertodosomethingbutneedaremindertoremember?
Thereasonyouforgettobemindfulisbecauseyourbrain’sdefaultmodeisto
behabituallylostinyourownthoughts–runningasortofinternalnarrative,
almostdream-like.
Byusingsomeformofreminder,youcanbemindfulagain.
Theremindershakesyououtofautopilot.
Trythesereminders:
••Settinganalarmonthephone–evenavibratingalarmthatdoesn’t
disturbothersworkswell.
• Jottingmindfulnessinyourcalendar–settinganappointmentwithyourself!
•Placingasmallnoteorpictureonyourdesktoremindyoutobemindful.
Allthesethingsareopportunitiestocomebackintothepresentmoment,tosee
yourselfandyoursurroundingsafresh.
10WaystoBeMoreMindfulatWork

9. TIP5.SlowDowntoSpeedUp
Effectiveleaders,workersandentrepreneursslowdownandreectto
makethebestdecisionsandactions–theyslowdowntospeedup.
That’samindfulwayofworking.
CleaClearly,restcanincreaseefficiency.Ifyoudomanagetogetaboutseven
hoursofsleepandachieveacertainamountofwork,imaginewhat
wouldhappenifyoualsodidafewmini-mindfulnessexercisesduring
theday?Yourbrainwouldbecomeevenmoreefficient,focused,effec-
tiveatcommunicatingwithothersandbetteratlearningnewskills.
10WaystoBeMoreMindfulatWork

10. TIP6.MakeStressYourFriend
Yes!Yourbeliefsaboutstress,scienticresearchhasshown,affect
howtheyimpactyourhealthandwellbeing.Ifyouwanttomake
stressyourfriend,youneedtochangethewayyouthinkaboutit
and,inturn,yourbody’sresponsetoit.How?Mindfulness.
WORKCHALLENGE>>>HEARTRATERISES>>>BREATHINGACCELERATES>>>
Yourbodyiscommunicatingwithyou.
Observethesebiologicalresponsesandshiftyourattitude:
•Choosecreativityovernegativity
•Begratefulthestressresponseisenergizingyou
•Yourbodyispreparingyouforyourupcomingchallenge
•Afas•Afasterheartratesendsmoreoxygenaroundyourbody
Wait,what?!
10WaystoBeMoreMindfulatWork

11. TIP7.FeelGratitude
Didyouknowthehumanbrainhasanaturalnegativitybias?
(Haveyoueverheardofababybeingbornlaughing?)
Essentially,wearehard-wiredtodwellmoreonthethingsthatgowrongthanthe
thingsthatgowell.Theantidote?Gratitude!
Plentyofevidencesuggeststhatactivelypracticinggratitude
• Makesyoufeelbetter
•• Hasapositiveimpactonyourcreativity
• Improveshealth
• Improvesworkrelationshipsandqualityofwork.
• Makesbothworkandhomemorepositiveexperiences
Usegratitudetoneutralizeyourbrain’snaturalnegativitybias.
10WaystoBeMoreMindfulatWork

12. TIP8.CultivateHumility
Humility:fromtheLatinhumilis,meaninggrounded
Howishumilitylinkedtomindfulness?Mindfulnessisaboutacceptingyourself
justasyouare,andbeingopentolisteningtoandlearningfromothers.
Mindfulnessisalsosynonymouswithgratitude–youappreciatehowothers
havehelpedyou.Andsomeonewhoisgratefulforthecontributionofothers
isnaturallyhumble.
TTodevelopalittlemorehumility,tryto
•Undertakemindfulexercises
•Makealistofthepeoplewhohavehelpedyouinyourlife,education,
andwork
•Showappreciation
•Valueotherpeople’sopinions
10WaystoBeMoreMindfulatWork

13. TIP9.AcceptWhatYouCan’tChange
Oh,that’satoughone,isn’tit?Butit’sapowerfultooltohaveinyour
work-lifetoolkit.
Thestartingpointofself-improvementandpersonaldevelopment,inthe
workplaceandhome,isself-acceptance.
Self-acceptanceisembracingallfacetsofyourself–yourweaknesses,
shortcomings,aspectsyoudon’tlikeandthoseyouadmire.
Whenyouacceptyourself,andevenmisstepsatwork(andeveryone
mamakesthem):
•Youcutdownonenergy-drainingself-criticism
•You’reabletoenjoyyoursuccessesandsmileatyourshortcomings
•Youcanachieveaclarityofmindthatallowsyoutoworkonthoseaspects
ofyourselfyouwishtoimprove
10WaystoBeMoreMindfulatWork