5 ways to practice mindfulness at work

Why mindfulness at work is so important

The number of burnouts in the workplace has increased dramatically in recent years, and more and more people are finding it difficult to create a healthy work-life balance. In fact, in 2020, 1.2 million people suffered from burnout symptoms. Perhaps you yourself find it difficult to go offline at the end of your workday, when you know you should be spending more time with yourself, your friends and family. Or maybe you feel hurt by critical feedback from your manager or team members.

No one should feel sad or anxious at work - especially since you are so much more than your job. This is where mindfulness comes in. In fact, often our workdays are so busy that we lose ourselves (and our mental well-being) between meetings, presentations and emails.

Practicing mindfulness is a way to allow yourself to be present in the here and now. Think of it as a one-on-one meeting with yourself. You can create more joy, fulfillment, productivity and peace of mind in such a moment. Ultimately, this is how you create a calmer and finer daily life.

Also read: Everything you need to know about mindfulness

In the process, practicing mindfulness allows you to release some of your work-related stress. This also helps you focus better on your work when needed. Meditation is one way to practice mindfulness, but there are many other ways you can make mindfulness part of your workday. We'll give you a few suggestions that can be helpful.

1. Conscious, slow breathing

Your breathing is a reflection of how you are feeling. If you are experiencing stress or anxiety, you will start to breathe faster and shallowly, which only creates more panic.

The first step to calming yourself back down is to breathe deeper. In doing this, you breathe toward your belly. Slow, deep breathing balances oxygen levels and immediately calms the fight-or-flight response. Alternatively, if you feel tired or drowsy, you are likely to breathe slowly. By tightening your breathing muscles and taking longer breaths, you can increase oxygen levels in your blood and your energy gets a boost.

Never underestimate the power of a few deep breaths. Your breath is always there for you: when you want to take a break, feel more confident before an important presentation or when you need more energy.

2. Focus music while working

Talking colleagues at the coffee machine, noise outside and a messy workplace: these things can all make it difficult to focus on your work. Mindfulness (in the form of focus music) can help you with this.

Binaural beats, for example, boost your productivity by putting your brain in a state where you can concentrate better. The same goes for listening to piano music. Above all, experiment with the different types of music and find out which one works best for you!

3. Take micro-breaks

Did you know that taking small breaks actually boosts your productivity? Contrary to what you might think, your brain works better when you take regular breaks. Learn how to use micro-breaks to work more productively and get more out of your workday.

Never feel guilty for taking breaks. You are not a robot. You need time to rest, recharge and simply be human.

4. Turn off notifications

It's true: humans are inherently not good at multitasking. Research shows that multitasking makes us less productive and even more likely to make mistakes. This is because our brain is switching between different tasks all the time.

Therefore, if your work allows it, try turning off your notifications from time to time. For example, you can use the productivity technique "timeblocking," where you work on a task for a certain amount of time and turn off your notifications. This helps you get into better flow and work more productively. Always be sure to inform your team members of when you are available.

5. Practicing Gratitude

Practicing gratitude is enormously powerful - even in the workplace. A Harvard University study found that keeping a gratitude journal makes for better sleep, less physical pain, more self-confidence, better communication with others and more resilience to handle difficult situations. The same study found that managers who regularly say "thank you" to their team members noticed that they felt more motivated to do their best at work.