Practicing mindfulness is a powerful way to introduce more joy into your busy schedule.

The more “mindful” you are, the more you take enjoyment from your day to day activities. After all, it’s tough to stop and smell the roses when you’re constantly panicking about what you have to do next. When you commit to mindfulness, you’ll notice that your performance at work, your relationships, and a lot of other things start to improve. In fact, you may find that you begin to function better in everything you do.

So, if you’ve read the research and you’ve sold yourself on the idea of introducing more mindfulness into your life, what’s holding you back? For most people, it’s the concept of time. When you’re already rushing through a busy schedule, it’s tough to find the extra moments in the day to pause and take stock from time to time. The good news is that if you’re worried about making time for mindfulness, there are a few ways that you can easily introduce it into your existing schedule.

 

Try the “STOP” Exercise

One of the best things about the “STOP” exercise, is how simple it can be. For a lot of people, mindfulness can often sound far more complex than it is. The “STOP” approach is incredibly simple, and it’s something that anyone can do. Here’s how you use the strategy to your advantage:

• Stop whatever you’re doing
• Take a breath and focus on the way the air moves in and out of your body. Feel your chest rise and fall and listen to your feelings.
• Observe your thoughts as you’re breathing. Try not to focus on anything in particular, just be aware of what’s popping into your head, and the sensations you’re feeling throughout your body.
• Practice mindfulness when you start to feel stressed or overwhelmed in other parts of your day.

 

Take More Time-Outs

One of the biggest problems that busy people have when it comes to embracing mindfulness is that they don’t allow themselves the time-outs they need. It’s easy to assume that pushing yourself to work non-stop will help you to achieve the success you so desperately want. However, the truth is that you need to commit yourself to more rest and relaxation. With so many constant tasks and emails to work on each day, taking breaks seems counterintuitive. However, working through your breaks is actually more damaging than you think.

Remember that you’re only human, and your brain needs time to refresh and rest. When you’re starting to feel exhausted, make sure you take a break. Even if you’re feeling fine, it’s worth booking a few must-take breaks into your schedule when you put the phone down and relax for a couple of minutes. Go for a walk around the office, or simply grab a quick cup of coffee. Whatever it takes to get you away from your desk.

 

Add Mindful Breathing to Your Day

First things first, start your day with some mindful breathing. Even if it means getting up fifteen minutes earlier than you normally would, don’t turn off your alarm and immediately start rushing to get ready for work. Instead, grab a cup of fresh coffee, inhale the aroma, and focus on your breathing. The scent of the coffee will help to keep your mind focused while you’re enjoying your mindfulness moment, and it will also help to revive you for the day ahead.

When you’re ready to sip, take each drink slowly, and enjoy the taste. Think about how you feel in that moment, and make sure that you don’t allow your mind to drift away to other focuses, like what you have to do when you arrive at the office. Note the warmth of the mug against your fingers, and the way the taste feels on your tongue. You’ll start the day on a much more relaxed note this way.

 

Stop Multi-Tasking

When you first start your career, the ability to multi-task might seem like a great skill – until you realize just how detrimental it can be to both your career and your mind. Stanford University researchers found that people attempting to jump between tasks in the office are actually less productive than people who focus on one thing at a time. Ultimately, your mind can only focus on so much at once. If you try to push it to over-work on various different tasks, then you’re going to end up with nothing but a headache.

Instead of trying to rush through everything at once, start your day with a list of things you need to do, ordered from most important to least important. Go through your list and find out if there’s anything you can delegate elsewhere. Once you’re done, start working on the most important thing, and continue to focus on that task until it’s complete. Only when each task is done should you move onto the next.

 

Refocus your Scattered Thoughts

The problem with avoiding the urge to multi-task is that computers, smartphones, and apps make it all too easy to fall off the wagon. We all have so much to do each day, and it’s easy for your thoughts to jump around so quickly that it’s hard to know what you really need to do first. When your workday starts to feel a little overwhelming, try focusing on the most important things that matter to you right now. For instance, consider what kind of things you have to be grateful for – your health, your family, your friends, and other similar concerns.

Taking a small break can be a powerful way to give your brain the refreshment it needs. Research suggests that practicing more mindfulness at work to re-organize your thoughts can improve memory, productivity, and concentration.

 

Be Mindful of Others Too

Finally, mindfulness is primarily an “introspective” activity. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t extend it outwards when you can. The practice of mindfulness can change how you interact with the people around you, so take some time now and again to think about the people you love and what you can do to support them too.

Practicing mindfulness is a great way to drive compassion. Studies published throughout the world show that people who practice mindful meditation are more likely to be compassionate and generous individuals. This simply shows that adding a little mindfulness to your busy schedule not only benefits you, but can bring more peace to your loved ones, employees, and colleagues too.