My last post talked about my intentions to be more mindful in 2019. While my efforts have been sporadic thus far, I am definitely sensing a difference in my overall focus and patience during the weeks where I am more consistent in my practice. The key for greater consistency will be locking in a particular time for my mindfulness practice so that it becomes a routine.

The latest edition of the 10-percent Happier podcast featured Rasmus Hougaard and Jacqueline Carter, co-authors of The Mind of the Leader and Co-Directors of Potential Project. Hougaard and Carter shared some mindful practices that would help people with their productivity in the workplace.

Mindful Practices for greater productivity at work

• Don’t check email for the (at least) first hour at work – The thought here is that your first hours at work should be your most productive from a creative standpoint. Don’t let your creative juices be sucked up by the low-level task of answering emails.
• Turn off distractions – If you really want to maximize your productivity, then you need to turn off all of the notifications on your laptop (and your phone), especially during tasks that call for higher-level thinking.
• Ensure quality sleep – While it is no surprise that quality sleep will improve productivity at work (as well as your general health). Did you know that a few minutes of mindfulness exercises before bed can improve the length and quality of your sleep?

The One-Minute Reset

Hougaard and Carter also discussed the benefits of a one-minute reset before meetings. Because we tend to rush from one meeting to the next without much downtime, they cited the need to have participants shut their computers and put away phones and just sit silently for a minute to get mentally prepared for the next meeting. This allows participants to put aside whatever might be lingering from their previous meeting and get focused for the new meeting. I think this would also work with students as they rush from one class to the next.