Our workdays are filled with meetings, calls, emails, and deadlines. In the evening, we spend our time trying to catch up with family and household chores. But psychological research suggests we’re doing it all wrong. Living like this limits creativity, makes us less productive, and strains relationships. Instead of living in the moment, we are constantly worrying about what’s next.
Practicing mindfulness, i.e., living in the present and being aware of our surroundings, feelings and thoughts, is one way we can change for the better.
Pause before beginning the day
Before you start work for the day, take a moment to reflect on what’s happening around you. Appreciate small things you’d normally ignore, such as a plant or photo on your desk. This mightn’t seem productive but mindful reflection can help you break out of unproductive routines and pave the way for more creative working practices.
Listen to your body
When you have a negative experience, such as a disagreement with a colleague, take a moment to notice how your body reacts. Do the same after a positive event, such as an enjoyable lunch or successful meeting. Being aware of your physical state can help you make small adjustments. If you can anticipate a negative response before it happens, you’ll feel more in control and less irritable when it does happens.
Hold back your inner critic
Are you tempted to be critical of what other people do around you? Observe and listen to what’s going on around you, but hold back your inner critic. This takes work but, with practice, it’s one of the most effective ways to switch off your internal autopilot. This principle applies to your own self too. While self-evaluation is good in small doses, left unchecked, it can develop into a toxic cycle, making you find fault in your work and increasing stress levels. Focus on successes, however small.
Visualise success
The next logical step is to visualise success. Meditate before an important call, meeting, or conversation, picturing the best possible outcome.
Accept the past
Do you spend a lot of time thinking about the past, such as being passed over for promotion, or saying the wrong thing? Learning from the past is important, but obsessing over past events only perpetuates them, leaving you with less time to focus on the next tasks. Live in the now.