One of the most common questions I get from my clients is about how to use mindfulness to manage stress at work.
Today is Labor Day in the U.S., a holiday originally created to honor workers and the labor movement. But for most people I talk to, their job (or business) is often a source of anxiety, frustration, and stress. And burnout, a work-related syndrome recognized by the World Health Organization, is at an all-time high.
Practicing mindfulness can help.
But most people think of mindfulness as something you practice at home, sitting on a cushion or a chair. Sitting alone, in silence, we can feel peaceful and unperturbed by the busy world around us.
But the purpose of mindfulness is not to escape from the everyday stresses of life—it’s to learn how to be with them in a better way.
Most of us spend at least eight hours at work each weekday—and that’s not even counting a commute.
That means we spend at least half of our waking lives at work. If we truly want to live mindfully and experience the deeper benefits of our practice, we need to bring our practice into our work days. But most people don’t know where to start.
In today’s newsletter, I’m going to share three ways you can bring more mindfulness into your work life.
#1: Meditate in the morning, before work
Meditating first thing in the morning, before work, builds your mindfulness skills and primes you to be more mindful throughout the day.
When I was working as the Clinical Director of a mental health treatment center during the Covid-19 pandemic, meditating every morning was essential to my own mental health and my ability to be effective in my role. My daily practice made me calmer, and primed me to make decisions and communicate with coworkers without letting my anxiety get in the way. And it made me much more effective at supporting others through that difficult time.
If you’re new to meditation, start with just five minutes per day, and work your way up gradually to ten minutes or more.
#2: Practice micro-meditations throughout the day
Most beginning meditators make the mistake of thinking that mindfulness practice begins and ends with their daily meditation session.
But practicing mindfulness throughout the day is equally important. Meditation teacher Shinzen Young recommends that in addition to a daily sitting meditation practice, we pepper our day with at least half a dozen micro-practices of between 30 seconds and three minutes. While this may not seem like much, it can have a truly transformative effect on the way we experience our days.
Throughout your work day, try taking breaks of even 30 seconds or a minute to be aware of your posture, your breathing, or the sounds in the room around you.
#3: Practice mindful communication
This last practice is perhaps the most important of all, and can have a truly transformative effect on your work life.
We’ve all seen the sometimes grisly effects of un-mindful communication at work. A hastily dashed-off email, perhaps written in a moment of anger or panic, can easily ruin someone’s day or lead to endless amounts of confusion. But we can greatly improve our communication at work by making it a mindfulness practice.
We can do this by applying the Buddhist principle of Right Speech to our words, emails, and even Slack messages at work:
Is what I’m about to say or write true, correct, and complete?
Am I expressing it with kindness?
Is it going to promote teamwork and a positive company culture, or is it potentially divisive?
Is it necessary, or is it going to waste people’s time?
Whether we’re in a meeting, a one-on-one, or responding to emails, mindful communication is about taking into consideration how our words will affect others.
Have you tried practicing mindfulness at work? What practices have helped you, and what have been your biggest obstacles? Let me know in the comments.
Happy Labor Day,
Chris Cordry, LMFT
PS: Want personalized guidance in bringing more mindfulness into your work life? Just reply to this email to ask me about 1:1 coaching.
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Love many things in this post...it is short, sweet and effective. My favorite line...
“But the purpose of mindfulness is not to escape from the everyday stresses of life—it’s to learn how to be with them in a better way.” Amen!
Really love the emphasis on mindful communication. Should be basic to all work communication trainings!