Simple Minds

Want to stop instagramming, multitasking and eating at your desk? These simple yet effective techniques can banish stress from the office for ever.

When you think of meditation, you think of stillness, quiet, inactivity; it’s all about stepping away from the rush of everyday life to seek spiritual peace. Right? No, actually, 21st-century mindfulness meditation may bring some of the tranquillity of this 2,500-year old Buddhist philosophy, but it is also a means of raising your productivity, increasing your focus and keeping you healthy. In a sense, it works for work, not against it.

And there is no doubt that we need some help in this area. A recent survey revealed that two thirds of workers wouldn’t be honest with their boss if they needed time off for depression, anxiety or stress, for fear of being thought weak or even a liar. In addition, many bosses don’t believe that suffering from stress, depression or anxiety is sufficient reason for staff to take time off work. It is estimated that approximately Dhs4.5 billion is lost to the British economy alone through mental illness each year. Last month it was reported that a third of sick leave is the result of patients complaining of mild to moderate mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression and stress.

When we become anxious and stressed out, we are like over-revving cars, and it can be very difficult to stop the effects that the stress hormone cortisol is having on our minds and bodies. Mindfulness meditation is a practice that, in time, can help bring the overworking but unproductive brain back into line. The more you practise it, the greater the benefits, which also include becoming less prone to over-reaction, improved sleep patterns and a growing compassion for others. At its simplest, it is just sitting quietly, focused on the present, grounded in your body, taking notice of your body’s senses as you breathe. If you are distracted with thoughts and feelings, as you will be, you shouldn’t be disheartened, but return to being conscious of the breath. You can do this for as little as 10 minutes a day.