DEVELOPMENT
and the moment you are in. When you have spent
a couple of minutes doing this, turn your mind
and your attention to your day.
Here are seven other ways you can incorporate
the power of mindful pauses into your working day:
When your phone rings: Take three deep
breaths to centre yourself, come into the moment
and turn your focus to the phone call before
picking up the phone. This enables you to turn
your attention from what you were doing to the
person who is on the other end of the phone.
w Before checking email: We have an almost manic
urge to check email as soon as an alert sounds or
we want a mental break from what we are doing.
Instead of giving in to these impulsive urges, try
waiting a few breaths before checking your email.
w When you’re checking social media: In the
same way, we yearn to check email to see if there
is anything exciting happening, we also have the
urge to check our social media. Coming into the
moment helps us be aware of our social media
urges, the feelings we have as we read posts and to
control the need to distract ourselves by checking.
w Leave your mobile phone behind or turn it off:
This is a challenge for most people. We live in a
world where we feel compelled to check it while
we are driving or watching the movies. Notice any
addictive habits you have and try replacing them
with healthier ones. Turn it off at night and see if
it gives you a better night’s sleep. Put it in your
bag or in a drawer at work, rather than leave it
on your desktop. Notice how you feel when you
don’t have it with you. Be aware of the experience
without any judgment, it is what it is.
w When you’re working on the computer: Notice
what happens to your energy levels while you are
working at your computer. Mindfulness will bring
you back into awareness of when your body is
tired, how you are sitting in your chair and what
you habitually do when your energy is low.
w When you’re waiting: Our days seem to be filled
with moments of waiting. We wait for the bus, we
wait in the traffic, we wait for the printer, we wait
for someone to answer the phone. Waiting and the
patience it requires are a part of our lives. How do
you feel when you have to wait? Do you become
agitated? Does it help? Is there a better way to fill
the time you are waiting? Would it be possible for
you to take three deep breaths and allow yourself
to relax without doing anything and without
feeling negative while you are waiting?
w
Mindfulness in the
digital workplace
In today’s digital world, we are constantly
stimulated. But finding the time to concentrate
on the here and now is important to avoid
digital burnout says Petris Lapis
THE EXPERT
Petris Lapis has worked
in accounting, law,
academia, banking,
business and training.
She has consulted for
government and industry
and published several
books and hundreds of
papers. She has studied
commerce, law, coaching,
NLP and hypnosis. Petris
is a rower, a coach and a
mum to two teenagers.
She loves warm sunny
days, great food,
laughter, exercise and
moments of calm.
Mindfulness is all the rage in organisations these
days. It seems everybody is doing it. From major
corporations to individuals, to defence forces,
to Universities to weekend retreats. There are
mindful leadership programs, mindfulness-based
stress programs and mindfulness programs for
managing depression.
Mindfulness
What is mindfulness? In its simplest form,
mindfulness means awareness. It is paying
attention and attending to the present moment
without judgement. You can use it to help you
focus, improve productivity, manage stress and
mental health and improve emotional intelligence
and communication skills. Mindfulness can help
you remain calm and focused when everything
around you becomes chaotic.
How to practice mindfulness in the digital age
Mindfulness training can be done any time you
have a few spare moments. You close your eyes,
come back into the present moment and focus on
your breath. You can start your working day with
ten minutes of mindfulness while your laptop
boots up. Sit quietly and bring yourself into the
present moment. Focus on your breath and leave
behind all the things that happened at home in
the morning. Bring your attention to your breath
Mindfulness brings some of our digital behaviours
into awareness. Once we are aware of our
behaviours we can make more conscious choices
about how we are spending our time and energy
during the working day. S
www.petrislapis.com
Issue 1 2020 | Chief of Staff 55