Train your mind and body to pause and see positives in different situations, there are many things to be grateful for.
In today’s world, there are so many deadlines, responsibilities, appointments, taking care of others, kids, families, friends, bills, school work, dinner, cleaning, etc. it is easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of busyness and multitasking. How often is it where you take a step back and savor your surroundings and enjoy the beauty in sitting in the backyard in silence; listening, smelling, and seeing everything around you? How often do you come into work and thank the previous shift for being there, doing the best they could during their shift? As individuals, we become consumed with our own challenges in life and often forget to check-in with others around us.
When we work in the helping profession, we may often find ourselves going home and thinking about work and whether or not we were actually successful in helping someone accomplish their goals. Some of us may return home and think about all the tasks we were unable to complete that day, or ruminate on the fact that we had to do extra work because the previous shift either forgot or didn’t have time to complete a task.
Taking extra time each day to be mindful of the fact that we are all human, and that no matter how hard we try; we succumb to bad days at times. Take that time to notice the good efforts in others rather than holding them to our personal standards and expectations of ourselves.
Studies indicate the benefit of workplaces incorporating mindfulness into their day as it provides better/clearer thinking and better focus. Without the implementation of mindfulness, we may experience anxiety, depression, and begin to disconnect ourselves not only in the workplace but at home as well.
Making conscious choices is a meditation practice. Making a concerted effort to simply turning off the notifications, setting aside a period of time to check emails rather than immediately answering the email as soon as it pops up in the inbox, and finish one task at a time before starting the next one. This can help us become more productive and more focused at our jobs, and providing a safe and welcoming environment for everyone.
Don Miguel Ruiz authored a book called The Four Agreements and they consist of the following:
Agreement 1: Be Impeccable with your word. Speak with integrity and say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or others.
Agreement 2: Don’t take anything personally. Nothing others do is because of you; it is a projection of their own reality.
Agreement 3: Don’t make assumptions. Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate clearly to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama.
Agreement 4: Always do your best! Your best is going to look different from moment to moment. Your best will look different when you are ill versus when you are well. Simply do your best and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret.