How to meditate at work
Learning to meditate at work can support your creativity, improve your focus, and lower your stress levels.
Here are a few simple ways you can add mindful moments throughout the day.
A mindful commute
If you take public transportation to work, fill the time with meditation. You can put in your headphones, play a guided meditation track, and close your eyes. Sunglasses can be really helpful here. I used to have a 2-3 hour commute each way and I got in a lot of meditation time. If you feel uncomfortable closing your eyes, just silently recite a mantra like “I AM” or even “IN OUT” while you breathe deeply.
If you walk to work, I challenge you to do it mindfully. Instead of listening to that podcast, calling your friend, or even listening to a guided meditation, be in the moment. Notice your surroundings as you walk, listen to the sounds, take in the smells, and breathe deeply. As your mind wanders [which it will] just return to your breath.
Start your day with peace
One of my favorite self-care tools is to meditate before I walk into work. A friend suggested this to me several years ago when I was in a job that was very stressful and I’ve done it ever since. Once I park my car at work I put my sunglasses on and set a timer for 5 minutes and breathe deeply. On each inhale I imagine golden light pouring through me and on each exhale I imagine it moving from me into my office.
Slow down to speed up
Mindfulness has been shown to support focus, limit distraction, reduce stress, and increase energy. As a manager, I encourage meditation at work. And I lead by example. I schedule meditations for my staff – especially on days when I know that we will be really busy. We’ll gather for 15-minutes in my office, pick an affirmation card, and listen to a guided meditation or calming music.
Don’t think your boss or coworkers are into meditation? Go to the bathroom! The bathroom is a great place to meditate. It’s usually quiet, generally you are alone, and no one can see you. On really stressful days, I’ll go to the bathroom for a minute or two and just breathe deeply.
You can use your lunch break to meditate. Go on a walking meditation after you eat. It will support digestion, clear your mind, and you’ll be moving your body. Work near a park? Walk over on your break and spend a few minutes in stillness. If you don’t feel like you have anywhere to go, sit in your car and meditate. You can listen to guided meditations on YouTube, Spotify, or the Insight Timer app.
You can meditate at your desk, even if you don’t have a private office, by putting in headphones and listening to music or a meditation track. Keep your desktop organized and use a calming image as your background. You can focus on the image while you listen to meditation. I love this simple 3-minute track from Mindful.org.
Can’t use headphone at work? No problem. Save the image below on your desktop and open in a few times throughout the day and just breathe. That’s the great thing about meditation. You don’t need any equipment, special place, or even to close your eyes!
Meditate to transition out of work-mode
Okay, this one isn’t technically at work. But I still think it counts. A great way to end your workday it to meditate it out. I like to get home and immediately meditate for a few minutes. Most of the time I’ll do this in my car in the driveway. I’ve found that taking just a few minutes to center into my breath and clear my mind allows me to let go of the stresses of the day and enjoy my night.