Wellness tip: Tips for Mindfulness Awareness Month

Here are some simple ideas anyone can use to help find peace in the present every day, even at work:

When you wake in the morning, try not to think about the day ahead, but instead bring your attention to your breathing just for a few breath cycles.

• Leave your headphones or music off during your commute to work and be aware of the sights and sounds what's around you.

• Begin meetings with karakia or a short reflection, allowing people to put aside distractions and bring their full attention to the room.

• Try to get out of your work environment during breaks and seek out green spaces where possible. Go for a walk, being mindful of your breathing, your footsteps and the environment around you.

• Be conscious of your screentime at work. Make a rule to have no phones or laptops on during meetings so you can all be present in the room. If you work on a screen, utilise the 'do not disturb' function on your phone to keep distractions from multiple devices to a minimum. 

• No matter how well you think you know your work colleagues, try meeting them in a fresh way. Can you relate to them as they are now instead of relating to the mental image you may hold of them?

• Before you leave work for the day, take time to prepare a little bit for the next day so that when you leave, you can truly let go and be present for the next area of life.