How to Stay Mindful During Every Stage of the Work Day
While we love the idea of incorporating mindfulness into our workday, finding the time to squeeze in a 15-minute meditation between stressful staff meetings and our mounting to-do list can seem downright impossible. Founder and owner of Strala Yoga Tara Stiles saw this as a huge roadblock — while busy bosses want to practice mindfulness, we can’t expect them to allocate huge blocks of time during office hours to meditate. So to help alleviate this problem, Stiles partnered with Lipton and the release of their new herbal supplement teas to create an easy guide of five-minute yoga and wellness sessions that are tailor-made for three specific times during the work day.
1. As Soon As You Arrive at the Office: As soon as we get to work, our minds automatically go into frantic mode — we instantly want to catch up on all of our emails, start setting up our daily tasks, and get our day started productively. But instead of rushing into our work as soon as we plop in our office chair, Stiles suggests doing a short four- to six-minute meditation to help set yourself up for success throughout the work day.
“Sit at your desk or another quiet spot,” Stiles says. “Stretch a little side to side and sit however you want — as long as you feel comfy. Close your eyes and turn your attention to your breath. Observe your inhales and exhales as they come and go. If you notice yourself thinking, that’s okay — just draw your attention back to your breath. Do this for a few moments, relaxing into your breath. Now start to take a mental account of everything you’re grateful for in your life. Your list can be long or short; it’s up to you (though it may be longer than you think!). After you’ve finished, come back to your breath for a few moments. When you’re ready, gently open your eyes and proceed with your workday.”
2. On Your Lunch Break: After half a day of work, it’s finally time to grab yourself some nosh and take a breather. But before you bust out your phone for a scroll through Instagram, Stiles suggests doing an easy yoga move to help reset your body and keep you focused. “One yoga pose will help get your mind focused and your whole body moving along with your breath: The Standing Twist. It takes just a few minutes — it can even be done while your Lipton Detox Herbal Supplement ($4) is steeping,” she advises. “Start by standing. Shift your weight onto your right leg. Hug your left shin into your chest. Take a big inhale and lift up. Exhale and twist a bit more toward your left. Hang here for a few long, deep breaths, and then repeat on the other side.”
3. As You Leave the Office: If you’ve had a stressful day on the job, the last thing you want to do is to take that stress with you when you leave. “Walking meditation is a great way to soothe your tummy and reduce stress. You can do this on your way home from work, on the train, or even on the way to the conference room,” Stiles says. “As you walk, focus on your breath. Watch your inhales and exhales as they come and go. Pay attention to the sensations in your body as you walk. Start to lengthen and deepen your inhales and exhales as you go, leaving a little pause at the top and bottom of each inhale and exhale. Make this a daily exercise to cement the habit, and enjoy the benefits!”
How do you practice mindfulness at your day job? Tweet us by mentioning @BritandCo.
(Photos via Lipton)
