Rebecca Stambridge ©
About Rebecca
Rebecca has worked in mental health for over 15 years, empowering others to improve their wellbeing. She is an integrative therapist as well as a mindfulness and compassion teacher. As well as 1-1 and group client work, she loves to write blogs and guides, helping others learn skills to improve their wellbeing.
Mindful Moments For Going Back To The Office
We all know that practicing mindfulness is very good for our mental wellbeing, but it's so hard to fit it in right? Now we are returning to the office, life balance has swung back in favour of our work. Time has become squeezed again and stress that eased away during lockdown may have started to return. If you are poor on time, having small mindful moments in your day can be best to give your mind and body a break. This prevents the build up of stress and allows you to respond to situations more helpfully. Here is a list of easy ways you can have a mindful moment in your daily working life:
With each example the technique is the same. Focus on the “anchor” of choice and when your mind wanders, which it will, simply notice this and bring it back to the anchor each time. Do not worry if your mind wanders, just be curious about where it has wandered to and gently bring it back.
When showering in the morning, notice the water against your skin, the sound of the shower or the smell and feel of soap.
When having your morning coffee, notice how it looks and tastes as well as the warmth of the cup in your hands.
On your commute to work, instead of looking at your phone or catching up with emails, set a timer for 5-10 minutes. Use that time to focus on your breath and/or body and build in a short meditation practice. You may find you arrive at work calmer and more focused!
When sat at your desk, notice your feet on the floor and your body sat in the chair.
Stop what you are doing and focus on the sounds you can hear around you. Zoom into the fine detail of the buzz in the office such as chatting and the photocopier etc.
Go for a walk on your lunch break and notice the sounds of the birds, the sight of the clouds and the feel of the street under your feet.
When having lunch, instead of eating and working, spend time looking, smelling and tasting the food, really noticing the textures in your mouth.
On your commute home, give your self a chance to leave the work stress behind by doing a short breathing exercise (such as breathing in for 5 seconds, holding for 5 seconds and breathing out for 5 seconds). There are lots to choose from but setting a timer and building it in to your routine will help!
The more you practice these techniques, little and often, the more you will naturally become more mindful in your daily life. If you forget for a while that’s fine, just keep trying.
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