Gone are the days when productivity hunters rush around, overly busy and stressed out in order to get things done.

Today, many of us are coming around to the idea of ‘mindful’ productivity. By focusing our attention on the ‘here and now’, we are better able to stop our minds from wandering, and focus on the task at hand.



While mindfulness is most often associated with meditation, it’s not always possible to slink off for a meditation session in the middle of the day. With this in mind, I’ve been on the lookout for the best mindfulness ‘hacks’ that we can use to bring back our focus throughout the day.

One idea that I came across was author of LinkedIn in 30 Minutes, Melanie Pinola’s, notion of hourly check-ins…

“The idea is simple: Pause regularly throughout the day and notice what’s happening in your mind and body… You can combine this with hourly desk stretches or other much-needed movement.”

To follow this workplace hack, set a timer or alarm to go off at regular intervals throughout the day. While Pinola suggests hourly, you might find that once every 2 hours, or even just 2 or 3 times a day, suits you better.

When your timer goes off, take 5 minutes to listen to what’s going on in your head. You might find that sitting quietly and reflecting works for you, or you could try writing down everything on your mind. However you choose to do it, pausing regularly throughout the day and reflecting on your state of mind is a great way to improve mindfulness and help you focus on what’s really important here and now.

How do you become more mindful at work? Share your experiences in the comments below!

This hack is part of a series of weekly workplace hacks that teaches you about collaboration, productivity and time saving tips. Published every Wednesday.

Photo Credit: mindfulness via Compfight cc