LiveWorkWell’s Susan Peacock has been interviewed by the Evening Standard on how we can make mindfulness a part of our busy everyday lives.

In the article, she shares tips on getting started with everyday mindfulness:

• Bring your attention to your breathing when you first wake up in the morning before you get out of bed, just notice your breath.
• Notice changes in your posture. Be aware of how your body and mind feel when you get up from your desk or walk outside the office. This will help bring awareness to your transitions.
• Take time to notice taste, texture and smell when eating or drinking. Give thought to where the food has come from and all the connections that have been made before it has made its way to you. Really savour it.
• Notice your body while walking or standing. Feel the air on your face, arms and legs as you walk. Do you need to rush?
• Are you are fully present when you’re about to start a meeting or telephone conversation, or are you still mentally involved in your prior interaction?

Susan also mentions five ways to practice mindfulness at work:

• Take a break at lunchtime. Having breaks results in higher, more sustainable performance.
• Hold off from hastily responding to challenging emails. Instead, leave the reply in your draft box and come back to it later when you’re feeling calmer.
• Allow yourself to be fully focused on the task at hand. Multi-tasking is a fallacy and what it actually means is flicking our attention backwards and forwards, increasing the amount of time needed to complete the primary task by 25 per cent.
• Check email intentionally rather than impulsively, perhaps allowing yourself some time in the day when you switch off emails so that you can fully engage in the task at hand.
• Take time to acknowledge something positive during meetings. As a species, we’re susceptible to ‘negativity bias,’ focusing on what’s wrong rather than noticing the good. Try ending the meeting with something that has gone well.