Menu
Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. While mindfulness is something we all naturally possess, it’s more readily available to us when we practice on a daily basis.
Mindfulness is equally effective in a person’s personal and professional life. Nearly 3 out of 4 employees admit to feeling distracted at work.
Using mindfulness in the workplace can improve employee focus and productivity by blocking out unwanted distractions.
E-mindfulness is the idea of introducing the use of technology in the work sector. The virtual setting is more suitable as this can be done anywhere.
To practice mindfulness, you try to stay aware of each thought or sensation as it arises in the present moment around you, but also allow it to pass as you continue to remain present.
The easiest way to start a mindfulness practice in your own physical or virtual setting is by incorporating short and easy techniques in your everyday practice. So let’s see what you can do to kick off the new organizational climate in a positive way! Feel free to try them out as you’re reading
A simple and short activity that you can do every day is to ask employees/or yourself to relax, sit in a comfortable position of their choice (legs crossed, laying down) and just have them listen to the sounds in the room for a minimum of 30 seconds.
The trick here is to stay still, not make a sound, and become aware of surroundings. It’s a great icebreaker exercise to do before any activity.
If you have around five minutes to spare, this meditation practice can help employees relax and be prepared for deep concentration. Ask your students to sit comfortably and start by being aware of how they feel in the present moment. Then, invite them to breathe in deeply and exhale, imagining that their belly is a balloon that inflates and deflates.
It’s OK if they don’t get it right away, as it can take some practice, but even a few minutes can help them clear their minds.
The strategy is to use diaphragm for this exercise. In this, employees are instructed to place a hand on their belly and feel it expanding and contracting, shoulders relaxed. Take a deep breath for five seconds and release for three, do it again for a few minutes. This can be done anywhere at any time.
This simple technique that yoga practitioners do all the time, will help employees wind down instantly. Using one hand, instruct them to bend the index and middle finger and then place the thumb and ring finger on one nostril at a time.
Gently put pressure on the right nostril and inhale deeply through the left nostril, then release without exhaling. Close the left nostril with your finger and exhale through the right nostril. Repeat for a few minutes, alternating between nostrils.
There’s no secret that sensory experiences enhance focus and that they’re hugely beneficial for overall improvement. Simply ask employees to choose an item, be it a tennis ball, slime etc. They should hold the object in their hands, and describe or think about what they’re experiencing: texture, color, smells, etc.
While it can be a great introduction to mindfulness for employees, it’s suitable for all ages.
This exercise can be done anywhere and at any time, and it’s an intuitive exercise for beginners, who don’t know yet how to slow their breathing. Employees take one hand and fan it out as if they were trying to trace it on paper. Then, using their other hand, they trace slowly along, one finger at a time.
Starting with the thumb, trace the outside and inhale, then trace the inside of the thumb and exhale. Repeat the process for the remaining four fingers.
Mindfulness is an excellent way to practice self-care, which makes it a great tool that helping professionals share with their clients to encourage healing, growth, and healthy habits outside of the one-hour office visits. To teach client about mindfulness, therapists walk them through some of the exercises from mindfulness. Here are five exercises that are often shared with clients: