How to Stay Relaxed and Productive Throughout the Work Day
Simple & effective mindfulness strategies, based in brain science, can help you get things done efficiently & effectively—without the worry and stress.
It’s easy to equate getting-things-done with non-stop-work. If you keep your nose to the grindstone, it may even feel virtuous. Or bionic, like you’re part high-tech machine that can handle anything for any length of time.
But when it comes to creatively solving problems, the brain needs to slow down. It needs to open up space for its networks to make connections. It needs time to discover the relationship among ideas, time to integrate observations, and time to turn insights into actions.
It’s a “no-brainer” that when you’re constantly busy, cluttered and anxious, it’s tough to focus. And even if you wanted to stay “laser-focused” from dawn ‘til dusk, your brain won’t let you. The average human brain only healthily maintain a high degree of concentration for forty-minutes or so. Some say it’s significantly less than that. Drive it in fifth gear much longer, and the engine runs out of fuel.
There’s a reason that everything in nature runs on a cycle of rest. Even machines function best when, once-in-a-while, you turn them off. Your laptop overheats if it never goes to sleep. When you keep all your apps on your iPhone active, the device slows down, then shuts down.
To prevent your own spontaneous shut-down, malfunction or burn-out—give your brain a break. There’s no harm in working dawn ‘til dusk. If you’re absorbed in an important project or pressed to meet a deadline, there’s often no choice but to pull an all-nighter. But work intelligently, safely, and mindfully.
Take regular breaks. Enable your brain to switch between its executive (thinking) network and its default—or daydreaming—network. A five-minute period spent slowly stretching, yawning, and or gazing out the window energizes your brain and refreshes your outlook on a project or task. It’s like pressing the reset button on your inner hardware.
To get more done—and increase your ability to stay resilient, focused and relaxed—incorporate regular patterns of rest for your brain throughout the day. Follow these seven steps to make the most of your workday—without putting yourself at risk of spontaneous combustion.
Write a list of pleasurable, relaxing activities that you can do in less than 5 minutes. Short bursts of writing, dancing or savouring delicious scents are all possibilities. Or maybe you find pleasure in shoulder massages, sun salutation and slow stretches?
Download an app like Insight Timer —one that allows you to program the sound of bell to go off at regular intervals.
Discover what works for you— whether it’s every 30, 40 or 50 minutes —and program the app to ring periodically throughout the day.
Whenever the bell goes off, use it as reminder to stay awake, attentive and aware. Stop whatever you’re doing and take three, deep mindful yawns.
Then, choose something from your list of pleasurable activities. Take five minutes to give yourself a neck massage, sip water tinged with lime, or do a little dance. Whatever thing you choose to do, do it mindfully—with your attention absorbed in the pleasure of moving, sipping or massaging. You can also simply sit and breathe. But breathe mindfully. Stay awake to the even and steady flow of air as you inhale and exhale.
Before you get back down to work, notice if experiencing a short burst of pleasure and relaxation has improved your mood, your attention and your perspective.
Repeat every hour or so. Notice over time how the pace, pleasure and productivity of your day changes for the better.