Mindfulness in the Workplace

[Brian]

Question:

How does one stay mindful and calm at work?

Answer:

I don’t know if there is any easy or quick solution to this one. In my
own case, I meditate regularly, and it’s my belief that this causes me
to be naturally more calm in everyday situations. It reduces my
overall stress levels, and this in turn causes me to become less
likely to explode when something unexpected or unpleasant occurs.

Mindfulness at work, though, is a much harder thing to accomplish, for
me at least. When I am being mindful, everything I do is controlled
and deliberate. Nothing is done out of habit or instinct; it’s pure
mind at work. It’s also pretty rare that I actually get to that place;
usually I run around doing whatever needs to be done, acting and re-
acting from instinct and habit like everyone else.

I’m sure that other readers will share their tips and tricks for
staying mindful, but I suspect that it really just comes down to
practice and effort. The more mindful you are, the easier it will be
to be mindful; a definite chicken-and-egg problem.

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