Mindfulness has become quite a buzzword in corporate psychology, but do we really mean by the term? 

One way of understanding Mindfulness is to see it as a means through which we can be present and focused in our daily lives. It allows us to raise our awareness of ourselves, of our surroundings, and the many ways in which these two interact. The by-product of using these focus techniques can often be a sense of wellbeing, and a raised awareness of our agency over our thoughts and actions (as opposed to functioning on autopilot). 

An example of functioning on autopilot may be speaking tersely to a colleague who is hindering our ability to perform our role. If we were to act mindfully in this situation, we would raise into our awareness the sense that we feel frustrated or annoyed. We would then use this awareness to decide how best we can address our colleague. Mindfulness at work does not mean that we become passive observers. What it does mean is that we feel better able to address a range of issues, as they arise, without allowing usual behavioural patterns to rule our actions. 

Here are some mindfulness tips for work: 

• Doing one task at a time. Taking the time to attend to an individual task without paying attention to other competing tasks. 
• Walking between meetings and taking the opportunity to be aware of our surroundings in terms of what we see, what we hear, and what we feel. 
• Being present when interacting with a colleague in a meeting. This may mean allowing ourselves to focus fully on the message of our colleague and not getting distracted by other sounds in the room or thoughts. 
• Taking time to eat lunch mindfully. Pay attention to the taste, the textures, and the smells of the food we are eating. 
• Starting and ending the work day by “returning to the breath”. Spending 10 minutes focusing on breathing helps to centre yourself for the day ahead, or to draw the day to a close. 

While these activities do not require us to make major lifestyle changes, the impacts of mindfulness on our wellbeing and our workplace are significant.