How can you be more mindful during the workday?

To help business professionals live their daily lives with more intention, we asked small business owners and CEOs this question for their best advice. From taking a break from your desk to getting your body moving, there are several actionable tips that may help you cultivate a mindful workday for years to come.

Here are 11 ways to practice mindfulness as you work:

●     Pause Your Day Every Two Hours

●     Set Daily Intentions

●     Remember to Leave Your Desk

●     Delegate “Not Important” Tasks

●     Prepare for Your Next Meeting

●     Get Moving to Get Focused

●     Change Up Your Day and Workspace

●     Focus on What’s Important

●     Lead With Intention

●     Refocus With Breaks

●     Minimize Distractions

Pause Your Day Every Two Hours

Whether you are going for a quick walk, a quick meditation, or just making a great cup of coffee, I suggest making time for breaks in your workday. Taking breaks allow you to be more present and focused throughout the day. I would recommend taking a break at least every 2 hours!

-Dale Gillespie, Tic Watches

Set Daily Intentions

I find that finishing a project or task is rewarding. A way to be more mindful is to know what needs to be accomplished and set an intention for the day. Also, stay on task, and don't try to do many things at once.

 -Jody Foster, BOOM Media

Remember to Leave Your Desk

Especially since the pandemic started, being mindful during the workday is a huge part of mental health. The biggest tip, especially for those who are working from home, is to get up, away from your desk, and walk away. After an hour-long webinar, walk away. After you get an intense email, walk away. Taking breaks is important to keep your mind fresh and your work efficient.

 -Sarah Vito, Yellow Emperor

Delegate “Not Important” Tasks

I’m a fan of the Eisenhower Matrix and the idea of delegating “not important” tasks. Through delegation, leaders can focus their attention on the tasks in the “Urgent, Important” and “Not Urgent, Important” quadrants. Delegation is not an easy thing to do or master. But, through delegation, leaders can maximize their workday, and companies can best fulfill their potential.

-Brett Farmiloe, Markitors

Prepare for Your Next Meeting

It's really easy to take one meeting into the next one, mentally. Scheduling a few moments to gear up for the next meeting or task in your day and really preparing to focus clearly on it is very helpful. Even better, if you have time to set clear next steps and appointments for anything you're switching from will ensure you have less reason to lose focus on your next appointment. Take a few deep breaths, try to clear anything that may detract your focus from the next event. Think about what outcomes you want for the next part of your day, and stay engaged in that moment.

-Jen Coyne, The PEAK Fleet

Get Moving to Get Focused

Do something that is healthy, slows you down, and requires you to think about what you are doing. My daily bike commute is enjoyable but also requires enough attention on the route that I'm not at my office fully in my head until about the time I get there.

-Diane Henkels, Henkels Law LLC

Change Up Your Day and Workspace

Our workdays can quickly and violently disappear into the maelstrom of email queues, task managers, and Zoom fatigue. It's important to take regular breaks for grounding in the real world around you. As I work from my laptop mostly, I like to take a break for 10-15 minutes every 2 hours and then intentionally change where I'm sitting, whether at the office or at home.

-Erik Croswell, Bridge City Media

Focus on What’s Important

To be more mindful during the workday, one needs to commit to the purpose of the company you work for or the cause you decide to engage in your work. Every time I have to add something to my agenda, I ask how that activity will contribute to the ultimate purpose of my work. I try to focus on the essential, and I typically identify 2 or 3 priorities. I try to focus on what is important and leave the noise and makeup aside.

 -Silvina Skverer, Thinking Beyond Business

Lead With Intention

Being mindful happens for people in different ways. Mindful for me is when I am most open to new inputs and creative wanderings from the team. To get there, it takes a good day of accomplishment coupled with exercise. As a leader, I allow people the freedom to take a break during the day, go for a run or ride, work their own way, and get there in their own time. I also try to be forgiving and understanding when someone is going through a rough patch and may not be ready for my insights.

-Mathew Smith, Tribe Pilot

Refocus With Breaks

We can be caught up with deadlines, emails, and to-do lists that can overwhelm us. Taking a break can help us refocus. It can provide an opportunity to clear our minds, allow us to get outdoors or sneak away to our favorite reading nook. If you allow yourself to be present in the moment, to recharge yourself, you can be more intentional in your work.

-Lisa Faust, Pacific West Bank

Minimize Distractions

Mindfulness practice is different for everyone. As a leader, I would welcome each person to discuss this and to create mindfulness methods in their own fashion. One of the best ways to create more mindfulness is to minimize distractions. Turn off alerts, plan the day and time block.

-Kim Allchurch-Flick, Mighty Epiphyte

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