This quick and easy mindfulness exercise is designed to help reduce stress, enhance focus, and increase overall well-being at work. It’s perfect when you feel overwhelmed or need a mental reset. 🧠😮💨
Duration: 5 Minutes 🕔
Steps:
- Find a Quiet Spot: Locate a quiet place in your office where you won’t be disturbed. This could be a seldom-used meeting room, a quiet corner, or even at your desk if it’s relatively private. 🔇
- Get Comfortable: Sit in a comfortable position in a chair or on the floor. Keep your back straight but relaxed. Rest your hands on your knees or in your lap. 🪑
- Close Your Eyes: Gently close your eyes. This helps to minimise distractions and allows you to focus inward. 🧘♂️
- Focus on Your Breath: Bring your attention to your breath. Notice the sensation of air entering and leaving your nostrils or the rise and fall of your chest or abdomen as you breathe. Don’t try to change your breathing pattern; observe it as it is. 🌬️
- Mindful Breathing: Count each breath as it happens. Inhale (count 1), exhale (count 2), inhale (count 3), and so on up to 10. Then start back at one. If you notice your mind wandering (which it will), gently bring your attention back to your breath and start counting from one again. 🍃
- Body Scan: After a few minutes, shift your focus from your breath to a quick body scan. Start at the top of your head and mentally scan down through your body. Notice any areas of tension or discomfort, but don’t judge or try to change anything. Just observe. 👤
- Return to the Breath: Bring your focus back to your breath for the final minute. Feel the calmness in your breathing and the relaxation in your body. 🫁
- Gently Re-engage: Slowly open your eyes and take a moment to notice how your body feels. Stretch gently if you need to. 🙆
- Carry the Calmness With You: Stand up slowly and re-engage with your day, carrying the sense of calm and mindfulness into your activities. 🫶
Tips:
- Try to do this exercise daily or whenever you need to reset.
- It’s normal for your mind to wander during this exercise. The practice is recognising when this happens and gently bringing your focus back to your breath.
- You can increase the duration as you become more comfortable with the practice.
We encourage our employees here at Seven Resourcing to look after their mental health, however they’re able, and mindfulness is an easy and effective way to do just that!
