Weave Micro-Mindfulness Practices into Your Workday

Practicing mindfulness can be an effective way to handle pressure and overwhelm at work, and it doesn’t need to be a huge commitment—you can build small moments of mindfulness into your daily routine. Here are three simple yet powerful micro-mindfulness techniques that can seamlessly integrate into your busy work schedule. ?

Take three deep breaths. When you’re feeling stressed or simply have a few moments between meetings, stop and take three slow, conscious breaths. Inhale deeply, feeling your stomach expand, hold for a brief moment, then exhale slowly and completely. If you can, repeat this pattern a few times. ?

Check in with your senses. Take a 30-second break to ground yourself in the present moment. Focus your attention on what you can perceive through your senses. Notice what you see and hear around you, and the feeling of your chair or desk. ?

Do a full body scan. Do a rapid top-to-bottom scan of your body to identify areas of tension. Observe whether you feel tightness in your shoulders, jaw, or other areas—then consciously try to relax them. ? Check out tomorrow’s tip for four more micro-mindfulness practices!

This tip is adapted from “7 Ways to Weave Mindfulness into Your Workday” by Michael D. Watkins