5 Meditation Exercises You Can Do At Work

Do you want to start a meditation habit, but can’t seem to find the time?

Meditation is proven to make you happier, less stressed, and more focused, meaning that a consistent practice can benefit just about anyone, regardless of your job or career. The trick is figuring out how to incorporate your meditation into a busy work-life.

So, in this post I want to share a few simple mindfulness exercises and meditations you can do at work. They’re designed to be short and silent, encouraging you to take a few moments to step back, even in the midst of a hectic day.

1. Take a Conscious Breath

Seriously, just take a breath.

Often, we get so caught up in the endless tasks and responsibilities we have each day that we forget to breathe. Developing an awareness of your breath is at the hear of most meditation techniques, but you don’t have to sit in lotus pose for 30 minutes in order to take advantage of it.

Your breath is with you all day, every day, but how often do you actually take a few seconds to pay attention to it? Do you even notice what your breath feels like, or how it changes as you move about your day?

Try this exercise on stepping back to breathe to get started.

2. Practice a Beginner’s Mind

A beginner’s mind is a Zen practice that helps you to approach every situation with a fresh perspective.

When you’re feeling stressed at work, it’s the perfect practice to help you to reset and begin anew with a clear head and open mind.

Click here for 10 activities you can use to practice a beginner’s mind, or see this post for 7 tips to maintain a Zen mind at work.

3. Create a Personal Mantra

Another great strategy you can use to bring meditation into your workplace is to use a personal mantra or idea for each day.

This doesn’t have to be complicated. Any word or phrase that resonates with you can work, whether it’s an emotion you’d like to feel or an inspiring quote that helps keep you upbeat.

All that you do is pick your phrase, and then try to remember to repeat it to yourself randomly throughout your day. Create a trigger that helps you remember the idea. For example, you might want to write a quote down on a paper and stick it in your pocket. Every time you reach for your keys, you’ll touch the paper and remember your mantra.

One of my favorites is simply to repeat the word “peace” silently to myself. I do this whenever I feel challenged, or face an uncomfortable situation. It helps me to re-center my energy and approach the next moment with a fresh start.

Learn more about mantra meditation.

4. Set Your Intention for Each Task

If you feel like you struggle to stay organized and focused on the tasks at hand, you can try a simple process of setting your intention.

To do this, just take a few seconds to step back and find your center. Then, before starting the next task, envision what it is you want to accomplish with it, and see yourself achieving that mini-goal. This will help you to focus on what’s important, and not get bogged down in distractions.

This is a process that Abraham Hicks calls segment intending, and it can be a really powerful way to “chunk” your day into smaller, more manageable segments.

For example, if you know that your email is always filled with an endless stream of notifications, memos, and “urgent” inquiries from your colleagues, before you dive in, take 30 seconds to close your eyes, and zoom-in on what you’re actually there to achieve. Taking this space can do wonders for your productivity, and is a great habit for achieving peak performance.

You can also use this process at the start of each day, to put yourself in the zone for the day ahead.

Check out these guidelines for setting daily intentions to learn more.

5. Start Meditating in 10 Minutes a Day

Even if you can’t find 20 or 30 minutes to meditate at home, there’s still a chance you could fit in a short 10 minute meditation. You could do this on your break at work, or sitting in your car right before you head into the office.

We’ve designed a 30-day program to help you fit exactly those scenarios, so you can click here to try the first meditation on getting started with the breath.

If you like that, register here for the full course to Quiet Your Mind in 30 Days.