Mindfulness in the Office: Reduce the Impact of Workplace Stress
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Our jobs can be a source of significant stress: tight deadlines, long days, several meetings, and difficult conversations. In the last years, more and more companies have started teaching mindfulness in the office. But what is mindfulness? Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment in a nonjudgmental way. This can help reduce the impact of stress at work and help you feel less stressed, less reactive, and improve your mental and physical health.
Benefits of mindfulness in the workplace
Workplace stress is becoming more consuming, with email, intra-office chat tools, and social media constantly competing for our attention. The information we’re being bombarded with can cause anxiety, stress and can overwhelm us. On the other hand, when we have a lot to do and when we multitask, most people feel more productive at the end of their workday. Usually, people feel more productive but are less productive. At Fit for Work, we always say, balance is the key.
Mindfulness can reduce stress, increase calmness and clarity, and promote happiness, even when you're working or not. It helps you to be fully present and consciously focused on the task at hand, free from distractions or judgment, and with a soft and open mind. But how can you apply the principles of mindfulness so that you feel more alive and present, as well as being productive?
Good to know...
1) You don't need to meditate every day to experience the benefits of mindfulness at work.
Sometimes to pause for a few moments before or during your work is enough. It's all about being present at work while you are working and creating an intention in your mind to help your mental and emotional state.
2) Studies found that the more you multitask, the more addicted you get to it.
We've posted several blogs about why multitasking isn't great. But addictive? You are in the middle of a meeting or an important project and you will get a pop-up notification. You have mail! Who sent it? It is important? Urgently? Good news? Bad news? Do you ignore this email or do you want to open it? You would probably open the email. This is due to dopamine, our motivational substance. Of course, once you've opened it, it's not urgent. This dopamine hormone is addictive, which is why you can't stop multitasking. Be mindful of your body and mind when you receive an email or any task other than the one you are doing.
3) The word “mindful” means to remember.
But when most people are at work, we forget to be mindful at work. Don't worry, it's not your fault, the reason you forget to be mindful is that your brain's normal mode is to usually get lost in thought. Using some form of reminder allows you to be mindful and remember. Think of Google's break timer reminder, which helps you stay productive and mindful while you work.
4) Humans have a negative bias.
This means you are much more likely to focus on the negatives than the positives. We all have unproductive and unhappy days, but let's not focus on these days. Being mindful of what's going well at work helps improve your health and happiness. Ask yourself what’s going well in your job? Are you friends with a couple of colleagues? Do you learn and grow? You can feed your mind with positive thoughts to raise your well-being.
How can Fit for Work help?
To learn more about setting up or managing an ergonomics program that supports staff working from home or in the office or support with staying legally compliant, you can reach out to Fit for Work. For more information on our Ergonomics Self-Assessment and Education Tool, contact us.
