Taking an Office Break to Meditate

With all the talk of work/life balance here are some concrete tips that will help you stay grounded and more productive at work or in your career. This material has just been released in my Work/Life Minute with Judy Martin column in Canvas Magazine for July. Here’s a snippet. Head to the Canvas website for the complete column.

When we go to work we carry the sensory overload from family life, the morning news and our aggravating commute. Add to that the demands of having to be productive in a competitive marketplace, and it’s easy to understand why some form of workplace meditation is crucial. Pressure mounts as we are compelled to work faster, produce more and be a vessel of profit.

Currently, while most of the evidence is anecdotal, there is evidence that companies and employees are taking a closer look at our work-life culture from a more human angle. The May 2007 issue of the Harvard Business Review featured an article on the significance of the ìinner work life. A three-year study revealed that an employees emotions might very well play a part in his or her business performance. The article suggests that a good workday experience can positively affect motivation. Perhaps a short meditation at work can be the elixir so many are seeking for a midday jolt of positive energy.

Unable to control those around us, we can only monitor our own behavior and emotions. When we are peacefully working from a space of clarity, our intentions will better guide us toward a more productive workday and better communication with colleagues and clients. Meditating at work can be the fuel to help us in that journey. In essence, we subconsciously lay the groundwork for a peaceful workday or one filled with angst. When we choose a state of intentional peace through meditation it can be the catalyst for greater calm and creativity in the workplace.

Yet when at work, itís not likely that youíll be able to sit in a full lotus (legs crossed) at your desk, or have incense burning while playing a guided meditation on your iPod. Those who work from home have that luxury, but for the rest of us the question is, How can we meditate at work? I would argue the better question is, How can we not? So here are seven ways to get started.

1. Once you are seated comfortably wherever you choose to meditate, follow your breath in and out, a technique known as mindful breathing or Pranayama. Notice the air going into your nostrils and out of your mouth. Your stomach should rise as you inhale; draw your navel in as you exhale.
2. If your mind wanders, try choosing an affirmation to repeat for a period of time. It can be a simple phrase or mantra. Take a long, deep breath and on the out breath repeat the word or phrase. Repeat for a few minutes.
3. If you can close your eyes for a few minutes, meditate on the sounds in your office or outside: Be a witness without judging what you hear.
4. Bring a book of short prayers or meditations to work. Read one passage every day. Meditate on that passage and how it relates to your work.
5. You can purchase or download screen savers that are designed to induce meditation. A few times a day, literally stick with the visual for a several minutes while keeping your breath steady. Also, check out Web sites that offer short visual and audio meditations. Often you can download them onto an iPod.
6. A big favorite: artistic desk toys. A mini Zen sandbox or garden can boost creativity while calming your mind. Try those magnet kits that sit on your desk, or just the simplicity of doodling with crayons. You can also find meditation kits at bookstores, including such items as a flameless candle, chimes and chanting tapes.
7. Do a stream-of-consciousness exercise. Call up a blank screen and write whatever comes into your mind. Just get it out. You can then delete the entire page.