Lots of people I support work in high pressure react respond deliver environments, and they struggle to understand how the growing evidence about a mindful approach can make them more efficient and effective at work.

"In a highly reactive environment it is all too easy to lose control of our diaries and exist in a state of distracted anxiety which follows us home, to bed and stays with us at the weekend."

Mindfulness can be described as ‘paying attention on purpose moment by moment.’ This means focusing on the here and now and not worrying about what has happened or being anxious about what might happen next.

As well as more in depth work on mindfulness participants on my programmes also find these three simple tips helpful as a manageable way of introducing mindfulness into their work lives and helping them feel more focused and in control;

 1. Take control of your communication – particularly your email.

There is nothing more distracting than constant requirement to respond to your emails. Take control by only looking at your email at set times during your day and setting aside specific times to respond. Do not feel that you have to respond to every email that is sent to you. Change your expectations of yourself, communicate with your colleagues about your new habit and routine and try and stick to it.

 2. Take control of your tasks: make shorter lists.

Long lists of things we may or may not need to do can increase stress levels, reduce our inability to cope and prevent us from thinking strategically. A short list of no more that 4 or 5 tasks focused on what is both urgent and also important will help you focus your time and help you be more strategic, challenging you to take the time to think about the tasks which give you the highest leverage in your role.

 3. Take a regular pause between tasks. Four breath mindfulness.

You may struggle to take regular breaks and still have to work long hours but lots of my participants report this simple pause keeps them grounded and focused. Between each task and action – an email, a phone call, a meeting, simply take a four breath pause. With each breath think about what you have just done, what you need to do as a result, what is coming next and how you can be present for that.

We run a series of programmes which focus on reducing stress at work and improving effectiveness and efficiency which include mindfulness, emotional intelligence and emotional resilience. Please get in touch for more details and visit our contact page www.lawsonthinking.com/contact