How to Meditate at Work, Reduce Stress & Improve Your Workday (original) (raw)
How to Meditate at Work: Tips to Launch a Regular Meditation Practice
Meditation is a technique that can help provide mental clarity and focus by training your mind and developing your concentration. A consistent meditation practice can help you improve in many areas of your life, including being more productive at work.
The wonderful news if you’re a beginner is that meditation is a simple way to achieve the benefits, and it requires no equipment or special training.
The Benefits of Meditation
Meditation comes in many forms, but the two most common are concentrative meditation (you tune out everything around you and focus on a single object) and mindfulness mediation (being in the present moment to make yourself more aware of what is, not what’s passed or to come in the future).
The positive impacts of a regular meditation practice are numerous. Meditation can:
- Help reduce stress and anxiety
- Reduce loneliness
- Help you make fewer errors
- Help you prioritize your tasks to work faster and more effectively
How to Start Meditating at Work
Thanks to the many benefits for employees, some companies allow and even encourage employees to meditate on the job. Even if you don’t work at one of these companies, there are things you can do to start a meditation practice at work. Here’s how:
- Get comfy: Sit or lie down on the floor or stay in your desk chair if it’s supportive.
- Close your eyes.
- Breathe deeply in a rhythmic pattern.
- While you’re breathing deeply, turn your focus on each breath.
- As you become more experienced, you’ll find that your mind will be less distracted and able to focus on each breath.
- Start with five minutes of meditation at first and try to build up to 20 minutes daily, increasing by time increments that are workable for you. Of course, if five minutes is what works for you, that’s perfect, too!
As you become proficient in seated meditation, perhaps consider expanding your practice by trying a more advanced form of meditation, which is walking meditation. As you walk, focus on your forward motion, breathing, and consistently work to keep your mind clear.
To launch your meditation practice, try one of these helpful apps or courses:
Focus Brings Clarity
Taking regular breaks throughout the workday can also help you be a more efficient and productive worker. If you combine one of your breaks with a regular meditation practice, imagine how much peace, awareness, and productivity you could bring to your day-to-day life!