How to reduce stress and increase focus
Welcome to Making Conscious Choices, a bimonthly ezine that gives you practical ways to transform stress into calm and distraction into focus.
The articles will take about five minutes to read and offer awareness to make conscious choices in line with who you want to be as a leader and person.
The articles will take about five minutes to read and offer awareness to make conscious choices in line with who you want to be as a leader and person.
With the practice of mindfulness as the foundation, you will strengthen your mind’s ability to focus, extend compassion, see strengths instead of limitations and create a positive work culture. With consistent practice, mindfulness allows you to see problems more clearly and make smart decisions when under pressure…in essence to respond instead of react.
Expect Mindfulness tips on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month as a way to bring out your best thinking! Below are ten tips to get started.
Ten tips to bring Mindfulness into your daily life:
1. As you begin your day, mindfully brush your teeth – feel the toothbrush inside your mouth, taste the toothpaste.
2. When stopped by a traffic light, use the time to focus on your breathing (keep your eyes open!)
3. Drive without the radio on or talking on the telephone. Notice what it’s like to stay fully present on driving – maybe you’ll notice things you’ve driven past for years!
4. Eat a meal mindfully – Notice how the food is displayed on your plate, taste each bite, notice how your body feels as you are eating.
5. New York Life has a great slogan, “Keep good going”. Be mindful of focusing on the good in your day, in others, in yourself!
6. When you are walking from your car into the office or from your office to the restroom, be mindful of your feet touching the ground.
7. When you are about to write an email that the receiver might misinterpret, start with taking a few deep breaths. Before sending, read over what you wrote as if you were the receiver. Reconsider whether to send it if there is any possibility of misinterpretation and instead mindfully talk to the person face to face.
8. Turn off electronic devices for a period of time (can you try 10 minutes?) and allow yourself to be connected to the present instead to constant distraction.
9. Put a reminder into your electronic calendar to do a few minutes of focused breathing at a particular time or times throughout your day.
10. If booked with back to back meetings throughout your day, take a few deep breaths between each meeting to separate one from the other and not bring the last one into the next.
Make a Conscious Choice to practice one of these tips daily over the next two weeks and notice what happens to your stress level and ability to focus!
Bonnie Artman FoxMindfulness Trainer and Coach
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If you would like to learn how to reduce stress and increase focus in your workplace, contact info@AConscious.com and a program can be tailored to your specific needs.
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