Mindfulness helps us face the new normal at work
The COVID-19 pandemic shocked the world. By the time this article was written, according to Johns Hopkins University, more than 7,820,000 cases had been confirmed with more than 430,000 deaths.
Amid this health threat, governments decided to activate long periods of voluntary social quarantine, in some cases and mandatory social quarantine in others to combat contagion, following the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO).
After 3 months of confinement, some countries have decided to return to a relative normal, since as long as there is no vaccine against COVID-19, life cannot be as it was before and certain companies, amid concerns of some employees to leave for fear of being infected, have decided to use mindfulness techniques to help their employees adapt to these new work patterns.
According to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA), stress was already affecting 28% of European workers before the pandemic. This is a growing problem impacting the business environment due to the absenteeism it causes. To combat this problem, leading companies such as Apple, Google, Nike or eBay have already begun to offer mindfulness at their offices, a technique that only brings benefits.
Here are 10 exercises used by companies to introduce Mindfulness within their organizations:
1. Exercise to empty the mind
Spend a few minutes taking conscious breath. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Watch your belly move to the rhythm of your breathing and focus on it.
2. Exercise to stay awake
Pay attention to any item around you, and if it’s personal, much better. Being mindful that you are watching that item, without distractions, will help you stay awake.
3. Exercise to focus
The best way to get back to the present and focus on your work is to count down. Start by counting slowly from 10 to 0, focusing only on this. If your mind gets distracted, start the countdown again.
4. Exercise to take a break
A good technique for disconnecting from your work throughout your workday is to use an external signal as a reference. For example, every time you get an email, take 1 minute to dedicate it to yourself.
5. Exercise to slow down the work pace
Our mind works constantly at a frenetic pace. To combat it, listen to what your mind says. Analyze your thoughts to try to slow down and calm down.
Pre-work and post-work exercises
To get our mindfulness, we propose these exercises to be done not only during your working day, but also pre and post work:
6. Exercise for when you are on your way
Mindfulness can be practiced on your way to work. Whether you use private or public transportation, pay attention to your breathing and movements. Especially if you drive the same route every day, to avoid activating the “autopilot”. This is the right time to be more present than ever.
7. Exercise for when you get to your office
Be mindful of your arrival at work, in the facilities and common spaces, until you reach your desk. Note that this is a new day yet to begin.
8. Exercise for when you sit down at your workplace
Sit down and be mindful of your posture, relaxing your muscles. How do you feel? Try to find out, by consciously breathing away any tension you may experience.
9. Lunchtime Exercise
Also known as mindful eating, this is conscious healthy eating. Thus, pay attention to the food, the smells, the tastes and the textures, chewing slowly and tasting each food that is part of the dish.
10. Exercise for when you leave work
Once out of work, stop for 3 minutes and observe the sensations of your body. Notice how you feel once the work is done and reconnect with reality in case you have disconnected during your working day.
In addition to performing these exercises, health measures are essential to avoid COVID-19 infections. Wearing face masks, hand hygiene and social distancing are the main recommendations from worldwide health authorities.
Practicing mindfulness and taking care of your health will help you return to work consciously and avoid any kind of risk.
