Our bodies need energy, in the form of oxygen and food, to remain healthy and effective throughout the day. When we run out of food at home, we go to the shop and replenish our fridge and kitchen cupboards. Apart from eating lunch, a parallel in our work lives is to take a break, away from the busy activity, messages, and screens so that we can replenish our mind, body, and emotions, to begin again; fresh, open, and energised.
The 2020-22 pandemic changed how many of us work, from working from home to an improved focus on mental health and well-being at work. Although avoiding the need to travel to unnecessary face-to-face meetings is more sustainable and productive, we are busier than ever, packing more activity into each day. So, it’s unsurprising that fewer than a third of people can take a full hour for lunch, and around half work through their lunch break. Taking breaks and having the time to eat properly is important for our health and well-being. A bit like the battery in a smartphone, we occasionally need to replenish and re-charge; allowing our busy minds to settle down a little while releasing any stress and emotional tension that may have built up in our bodies.
The UK Working Time Regulations are not overly generous but say that people are entitled to one twenty-minute rest break during the working day, which could be a work or lunch break if we work more than six hours. If we work in front of a screen all day, it’s recommended to take a break of between five and ten minutes every hour of continuous screen time. Not surprisingly, there’s good evidence that taking proper breaks has a positive impact on performance at work. Recent research found that people who took regular breaks performed much better than colleagues who continued without a break.
And for many of us, the end of the working day does not mean we can relax. There may be children or other dependents to look after, meals to prepare, and many other tasks that make some evenings seem like a busy workday.
So, what has all this to do with mindfulness? The answer is that mindfulness is very relevant, as it’s about bringing a set of skills and attitudes to our experience that make a difference at work and in our personal lives. Although mindfulness often focuses on finding a better path through the difficulties and challenges, we encounter, the practice also opens possibilities to learn, grow, and appreciate the positive things in life, while we’re living it.
Here is a quick mindful replenishing practice to use during a short break:
- Take some slow deep breaths with your awareness of the physical sensations of breathing
- Connect with your body and notice any tension or tightness
- Relax and release the areas of tension and tightness and connect with the aliveness in your body
- Acknowledge any emotions, and allow them to be just as they are
See if it’s possible to let go of and begin to release any held feelings, as you relax your body - Acknowledge any thoughts that are around, without being pulled into the full story of anyone’s thought
- Allow any agitation and restless thoughts to settle
- Bring your attention to your sense of hearing and expand your awareness, opening to the space and stillness that’s always available in the background of experience
Other ways to replenish mindfully during the day include:
- Walking mindfully, open, and aware of your body and senses
- Taking a mindful break in the park, or in nature, or find somewhere where you can look up at the sky
- Eating a piece of fruit mindfully
- Practising gratitude and acknowledging the positive in yourself and other people
In our busy lives, it is all too easy to get caught up in activities without time to pause, reflect, and recharge. Setting aside time to replenish ourselves during the day can make a big difference to our overall performance, happiness, and well-being.
Suggested weekly practice
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Notice when your energy drops during the day and take a replenishing break as soon as you can. Use the natural breaks between tasks, for instance walking between meetings, to run through the mindful replenishing practice outlined above.
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If you experience eye strain during the day, try the 20–20–20 rule; every 20 minutes, focus your eyes on an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds. As you look into the distance, see if you can also relax any tightness or tension around your eyes, face, jaw, neck, and shoulders.
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Practise good sleep hygiene, together with a mindful routine, before you go to bed to give yourself the best opportunity of having a restful and replenishing sleep.
Guidance
Find somewhere undisturbed and sit in a comfortable, dignified, and upright posture, where you can remain alert and aware. There are two guided practices for this session. You can close your eyes, or lower your gaze while the meditations play.
- Play the first settling practice, then read through the session content, which you can print off if that helps.
- Then play the second practice to replenish by relaxing the body, releasing emotions, and calming the mind.
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