Whether it’s mindfulness courses or mindfulness exercises at work – mindfulness in the workplace is currently all the rage. But what does it mean to ‘be mindful’? The term describes conscious awareness and is now even regarded as a holistic approach to life. It involves focusing on the things that are happening right now, without making any subjective judgements. The aim is therefore to be aware of thoughts, feelings and events in the here and now – without making positive or negative judgements.
What can mindfulness exercises achieve?
Opinions on mindfulness in the workplace vary widely. For many, it is simply another piece of unnecessary ‘esoteric nonsense’ – whilst others swear by the benefits of mindfulness training. But what exactly are these benefits? Mindfulness exercises are said to help people counteract the stress of everyday working life. Just a few minutes are said to be enough to create a buffer that protects against work-related stress. This is intended not only to increase overall job satisfaction, but also to help prevent the risk of burnout.
In addition, mindfulness meditation is said to help prevent emotional exhaustion. It is important to set the right priorities, set boundaries and focus on what matters to you personally. By taking a brief break from work, you can then make full use of your concentration afterwards.
Mindfulness exercises at work therefore help to prevent stress and many mental and physical health issues. However, you should bear in mind that this is not a quick-fix panacea, but rather a long-term way of life.
Aspects of mindfulness exercises at work
It is difficult to fully grasp the concept of mindfulness. The following aspects can help you to better understand the concept of mindfulness at work and to appreciate its significance more fully:
- Becoming aware of your breathing
- Recognising areas where you can make a difference
- Recognising those around you and being happy for their progress
- Letting go of dependencies
- Questioning one’s vocation
- Motivation
Basic exercises involve becoming aware of your own breathing. The ultimate goal is to reduce stress and subsequently boost your motivation for your job. But being generous is also an important factor. When your colleagues achieve success, you should acknowledge it and not be envious of their progress. After all, envy would only cause you unnecessary stress – which you are, of course, trying to eliminate from your life.
Possible exercises
Are you wondering how to incorporate mindfulness exercises into your working life? You spend a large part of your time in the office, which makes your workplace the ideal place for meditation. To ensure your everyday office life provides the right environment for you, you can rent attractive office spaces from COLLECTION Business Centre. Mindfulness training consists of very short exercises that you can do at any time. There are plenty of opportunities for you to practise during your day-to-day office routine.
Whether you’re on your way to work – by car, on a bike or on public transport – you can carry out your exercises. You can even use the time whilst booting up your computer to do some short breathing exercises or to focus mindfully on how the chair you’re sitting on feels. Even the smell of coffee wafting through the office in the morning can be used for a mindfulness meditation. So it’s not difficult to find a suitable exercise. The time required is so minimal that it cannot be used as a reason against practising mindfulness at work.
As part of a study, a number of exercises and their effectiveness were tested. Many of the study participants were convinced of the positive change brought about by practising mindfulness at work. To this end, the test subjects were asked to incorporate the following exercises into their daily routine:
Raisin exercise
In the raisin exercise, the main focus is on a small raisin. You should perceive it very consciously. To do this, first feel its surface, then take in its smell, and finally let the raisin melt on your tongue.
Body Scan
For this, you should be lying down or sitting in a room. Gradually, you must become aware of every single part of your body – from head to toe. At the same time, you must pay close attention to your own breathing.
Three-Minute Breathing Space
In this exercise, you should become aware of all your thoughts, feelings and the sensations in your own body. You then focus on your breathing. Finally, you become aware of your body. As the name suggests, this mindfulness meditation lasts three minutes.
Mindful Routine Activities
Here, choose an everyday routine activity – whether it’s drinking your morning coffee or having your daily shower – and give it your full attention so that you can experience it mindfully.
Loving-kindness meditation
For this exercise, you need to cultivate a warm feeling within yourself. First, look upon yourself with all your love. Then imagine how you might look upon others – even those you do not love – with love.
Spontaneous exercises
You don’t need to go out of your way to choose a specific exercise and repeat it over and over. You can put together your own mindfulness exercises or practise spontaneous mindfulness at work. Here are a few suggestions for possible exercises, but always remember: don’t judge, just observe!
Breathing
The most obvious activity that we carry out continuously every day is breathing. Use a few spare minutes to focus on how you breathe. To do this, stand with your feet together and breathe in and out consciously. Notice how your lungs fill with air, how your chest rises and falls, and how the air flows out of your nose. Breathe freely, without trying to control your breathing. This exercise is simple and can be done anywhere – at any time. Here are a few more suggestions you can incorporate into your working day:
Waking up
Who hasn’t felt like staying in bed in the morning? Instead of constantly hitting the snooze button, try lying there with your eyes open. Become aware that you’re awake, rather than immediately thinking about the day’s tasks.
Shower
Here you can use four of your senses to practise meditation. Watch as the water hits your body and runs down it. Feel the touch of the water and listen to the sound of it running. Are you using a shower gel or shampoo that smells particularly nice? Then try to consciously take in the scent.
Eating
No matter where you’re eating – eat mindfully. Focus on the flavour of your meal. Observe its texture and concentrate on the taste. Try not to judge it, but to observe it as objectively as possible.
Commute
As mentioned earlier, it doesn’t matter how you get to work. Here, too, you can use four of your senses for your mindfulness exercises. Take in the scents of your surroundings. Take in your surroundings visually and notice who is waiting with you at the bus stop or how cars come to a halt beside you. Listen to your surroundings and be aware of the movements you are making.
Body
Being aware of your body is a form of meditation that you can practise at any time. Notice how you feel – are you cold or warm? Where is the centre of your body’s weight when you’re standing, walking or sitting? Listen to the sounds around you – what can you hear? Is it loud or quiet? Focus on the smell wafting through the office, for example.
Conclusion
The effectiveness of mindfulness exercises in the workplace has been less extensively researched than exercises that focus on psychological aspects. Furthermore, this type of meditation is not suitable for everyone, as every person is different. If you think these exercises might help you, you can see for yourself whether they reduce your stress or strengthen your mental well-being.
Even though many regard these exercises as ‘esoteric nonsense’, everyone should decide for themselves whether mindfulness at work has a positive effect or not. Fundamentally, it is a fact that short breaks boost concentration – how you spend them is up to you. If you’d like to do specific exercises, you can draw inspiration from mindfulness exercises. However, you can also simply step outside for two minutes to get some fresh air and clear your head. How you practise mindfulness at work is entirely up to you. You’re also completely free to call these breaks whatever you like – whether you call them concentration exercises or mindfulness exercises.
