Hello! As I announced yesterday, I’m working with Onken all this week to find ways to introduce mindfulness into my life as part of their Embrace Spoonfulness challenge. If you want to know what it’s all about, hop over to yesterday’s post for more info.
Now, for today’s challenge, I’m looking at how to introduce a mindful approach during my working day.
My typical approach to work
My working days generally fall into one of three types:
- I’m at my desk by 8am and start by checking my emails, social mentions and reviewing my overnight analytics – a lot can happen while the UK is sleeping. Then, alongside the usual emails, calls, meetings and admin that go with any job, a lot of the day is spent researching, planning and writing. If I have recipe commissions coming up, I plan them on paper first, from likely ingredients to method to how I might lay out the styled final images. Then towards the end of the day, I place grocery orders in advance so that I have the right supplies when I need them.
- Starts like the above, but then a grocery order arrives, and I spend the morning cooking and honing the recipes, shooting and then use the afternoon for editing and client catch ups.
- When I’m out of the office on a shoot, the day looks very different, and I typically spend a lot of time in front of the camera. Again, I’m keeping an eye on what’s happening live across my channels as and when I can, and I’ll try to step out at lunchtime to return urgent calls. These days are generally long and intensive, but great fun.
The one thing that commonly unites all of these days is that I’m a serial multi-tasker and a productivity junky. I’ll lunch at my desk, I’ll flip between dozens of browser tabs and if I’m out and about and find myself with a few minutes to spare between meetings, I won’t rest, I’ll fill it by grabbing a cuppa and trying to complete another task in the nearest café.
If you too are somewhat of a workaholic, this probably sounds all too familiar.
Why change?
Well, as I explained yesterday, while I might not often feel stressed in the stock photography, woman pulling her hair out sense, I can admit that I’m always on high gear, and long-term, I’m conscious that’s not a good way to be.
Ultimately, I’d love to be just as productive, but with less of the distraction, and of course, a reduction in the intensity of my working day would be lovely too.
Today’s challenge: focus and clarity at work
Through practicing mindfulness longer term, I’m looking to improve my discernment, to be able to comfortably choose where to place my attention, be less prone to distraction and to ultimately improve my focus and clarity.
Obviously, I’m just at the beginning of this journey, but as well as the more general steps I’m taking, I really wanted to do something that is work specific – work takes up a huge amount of my waking life, after all!
So, I’ve been shutting down all those distractions on my computer desktop and trying to commit to address one task at a time. I’ve even turned the ‘ping’ noise off on my emails, because they were a constant de-focussing influence.
I’ve been sitting down at my desk, completing one task, doing my best not to be drawn by other distractions, and then when the task it complete, taking a couple of moments to move away from my desk and refresh before returning and starting the next one.
Crucially, I’ve been making every effort to not think about the next task when I’m working on the current one, and especially not when I’m taking my breaks in between.
It’s not easy, and I have to admit that after a lifetime of multi-tasking it doesn’t yet feel natural, but I’m pretty convinced thus far that it hasn’t impacted on my productivity – in fact, it may even have improved it.
I’d liken it to those days when you wake up and everything just clicks and you cut through your emails like butter, turn out sparkling work and end the day wondering why you can’t be that super-focussed everyday. I feel like perhaps with some more practice, every day can be like that. Fingers crossed!
Come back tomorrow, when I’ll be looking at how I’m embracing spoonfulness through mindful eating.
This post is sponsored by Onken. For more tips on how to live a more Spoonful life, tasty recipes and to view the full range visit www.onken.co.uk
Emily, this sounds familiar! I am doing an online mindfulness course at the moment and have been trying to practice exactly what you describe. It’s tough isn’t it?!
Taking mindful breaks from my digital devices has helped my stress levels greatly. Nice post.
Such an inspiring post! I love reading about how your work life is but how you’re willing to change it to stay focused etc. That’s exactly what I need to do – focus on one thing at the time!
This sounds really helpful, I think I’m going to need to try this, right now my biggest challenge at work is that 3pm slump!
I work in a stressful environment to begin with but being mindfulness of my needs, others needs and what works for me has really helped me in my job. Stress is still there, it is just more manageable now
Trying to commit to one task at a time is a good idea, I am always all over the place.
I started working with a therapist and told my husband that I was putting our relationship on hold while I worked on me.
While that may sound a bit selfish, it’s the farthest thing from it. It was best thing I could have done for our relationship.
Mindfulness has helped me so much in life and I think it’s something everyone should experience/practice at some point. Great suggestions :)
Mindfulness is something I need to practice myself as I work 14 hour days but earn peanuts plus manage my blog, work two full time jobs and have clients who I freelance for. It can be difficult x
Some fantastic suggestions here! I am trying to make a conscious effort to focus on the task I’m currently doing but my wind wanders and I think about 20 different things all at the same time and then I feel overwhelmed and go for a bike ride instead, lol!
very good post, mindfulness is important and makes such a difference.
great video too :)
This is a great post, mindfulness is important!
I am so all over the place and I can never concentrate – I need to get better at doing one thing at a time x
I try to stick to 1 task at a time. Distractions slow me down.
I like the idea of tackling one task at a time and blocking everything else out but I just don’t know if i could do it – I’m such a multi-tasker and I’m most productive when I have lots going on.
I’m terrible for starting something and being distracted and then having that feeling of not completing something hanging over me. I’m going to have to take on board your tips!
It’s so difficult to try and stay disciplined like this and keep to one task at a time but I think with a bit of practice, it does help and you do feel less chaotic.
Definitely going to apply these tips to my life too. Really enjoyed this video aswell.
I have a to do list which is blog related and I find it really helps me. As I have a full time job, am a wife and mum to 3 cats (lol) I need to ensure I have everything done and not always immediately, but throughout the day x
I should probably consider doing some of these things too. I do have trouble with focus sometimes and distractions don’t help!
These sound like such helpful challenges, I’m so bad for thinking about what’s next instead of concentrating on what I’m supposed to be doing!
I think we all need to take some time out and focus on ourselves, especially when we all work so hard x
I am a massive multi-tasker and I definitely work too much, but needs must at the moment as there is just so much work on. I am better than I was though – I used to work 16 hour days on my blog.
Being mindful is different if you’re use to multi-tasking but it seems you’re starting to get the hang of it, especially at work!