The New York Times has poignant “Here to Help” segments on Mindfulness. Being mindful can be crucial to keeping your sanity!!! Here is the NYT’s recap of how to stay focused amid workplace distractions:
- Mindfulness is one-pointed, so focus on one thing at a time. Avoid multitasking.
- To stay in the present moment, don’t let small demands pile up. Take care immediately of anything that takes five minutes or less.
- Be mindful of your body and its needs. At a minimum get up out of your chair, stretch and move at least once an hour.
- Be mindful of your core or center. When you feel frazzled, find a quiet place where you can close your eyes, take some deep breaths and become centered again. Some people find that centering works better if they put their attention in the region of the heart.
- Remember to breathe. At least once an hour, do a few 10-count breaths.
- Breathe in while counting to four at a fairly leisurely pace. Hold for a second as you relax into the feeling of the “in” breath. Now breathe out of a count of six. Make sure your pace feels comfortable and not so slow that you gasp after and few breaths.
- Be mindful of your ultimate purpose, which isn’t to meet a deadline but to create a day with happiness in it.
For more tips about everyday mindful moments, visit Well at nytimes.com/section/well.