Conscious Tech: Mindfulness in the Office

Technology equals the future, right? The next best thing. Tomorrow’s trend. A new generation of ideas! The future is bright (and we love our tech tools!) but there is a need for technology and rules that keep us in the present moment, nurturing today’s important ideas and communicating richly with our teams and clients. That’s where mindfulness comes into play.

Install a Time Management App

Rescue Time tracks the time you spend on projects and websites. Block time-sucking websites and receive a daily or weekly report of where you spent your time.

Get Focused…Realistically

Taking breaks is an important part of staying mindful and focused. Pomodoro is a productivity technique: work for 25 minutes and take a 5-minute break. Letting your mind wander for a short period will help you train your brain to stay focused on the task at hand for a full 25-minutes of genuine work. Pomodoro.cc is a simple (and free) web-based tool that doesn’t even require a login. Or, if you like to keep a timer on your mobile device or as a plugin, Tomato One or Forest are good options.

Find the Right Task Manager

I sing praises to Todoist on a daily basis. In the speaking industry it is easy to get overwhelmed by all the events on the horizon. It doesn’t matter which one you use, throw out the sticky notes and find an online task manager that works for you. The most important part of maintaining mindfulness in business and in life is the ability to focus on today. A task manager will help you to decipher what needs to get accomplished today and what is tomorrow’s challenge. The right task manager will allow you to turn a non-crucial email into next week’s task. Add a note for your summer project and share it with your team. Start your day reviewing the tasks on hand…maybe some of them are no longer in tune with your goals or can be best addressed another time.

Outsource Small Tasks

Part of being mindful is making choices about what we can accomplish in a day. Make a list of all the tasks you do in a day or a week. If you were to pass off small tasks would it help you to stay present for your business and your family? Consider letting Fancy Hands handle your son’s birthday party plans or compare local dentists. Outsource a marketing project to Fiverr rather than wrestling with Photoshop. Let go of the projects that keep you from where you are most valuable.

Find Some Quiet

Download Noisli to block out hectic office noise with the soothing sounds designed to help you focus. And make the most of those new 5-minute breaks with a quick meditation courtesy of Calm.

Turn Off Your Tech

There. We said it. Turn off your text alerts and shut down your inbox. Make it a rule to work in the mornings and check email after lunch. Do what works for you. Technology is there to serve us, not vice-versa.

Focus on today’s opportunity to create meaningful work. Be present with today’s attendees. Take joy in each task you do…even the mundane can be enjoyable when you pay attention.