WELLNESS
how much pain you are in. How will this affect your body if you continue to do this each day? So, what can we do about it? Getting ‘in tune’ with yourself by ‘checking-in’ throughout the day will not only help you understand what you need, but also help you perform better, more accurately and with improved focus. We can use various ways to do this. A simple method is to set your alarm 4 or 5 times a day to ‘check-in for 60 seconds’, or ideally do this ‘check in’ after calls and meetings, so it becomes a habit. Habits are better formed when following something else you have done.
WHY MINDFULNESS? BY ZACH FAIRBANKS, MINDFULNESS MEDITATION TEACHER, CO FOUNDER OF WELLBEING IN YOUR OFFICE
I was driving on a motorway one day and had the radio blasting out a Foo Fighters song that had caught my attention. I cranked up the volume and enjoyed the next few minutes of indie rock. Whilst listening to the song, I needed to overtake a slower truck, so I dropped down into third gear. The Foo Fighters song continued (it was ‘Times Like these’ if you’re a fan) and then as it finished, I noticed the sound coming from my car engine - a high pitch, over-driven noise. I was still in third gear and had been for about the last 5 minutes without realising. The music in the car was so loud that I didn’t hear the engine sound to know I needed to change gears (those of you with automatics are going to have to go with me on this, you can blare out music all day long!). In order to know when to change gear, we need to be able to hear the engine. It gets to a certain straining pitch, and we know we need to change. So, what has that got to do with Mindfulness? Well, imagine the volume of the radio in my car is workload & distraction. Specifically, let’s imagine you have various zoom calls, phone calls and meetings back-to-back. You are unlikely to tune in to yourself and your needs. How many times have you come off a zoom call and noticed you are hungry or need the loo? These are powerful sensations from our body that tell us we need to do something 10 www.birminghamlawsociety.co.uk
and that we have learnt to respond to from an early age. We do not always get that right how many ‘hangry’ people out there don’t realise they are hungry! Not all things that we need manifest as an immensely powerful sensation. If we don’t get to turn down the volume of the radio i.e., we don’t check in between those zoom or phone calls to listen to how are ‘engine ‘is doing - how are mind & body is doing, then we are ignoring vital messages from our mind & body that are important for our wellbeing. Why do I need to listen? Unlike an automatic car, we can be very ‘manual’ in the way we work. We override our bodily indicators - those sensations that can inform us on how we are feeling. We tend to push through, or we simply ignore them but when listened to, these sensations are very helpful. They can be intuitive feelings, fatigue, stress, excitement, joy and anxiety etc. By listening to them, we can make appropriate responses - we can also mentally walk ourselves through concerns that have come up during our day. We notice we are tired and we take a break, pace ourselves, so we can perform at better levels for longer. If you are tired and becoming easily irritated as you have not ‘checked in’ - how will that be for a team member or client if you are communicating with? Maybe you are even sitting in an awkward position, so engrossed in your work, that you don’t notice
Check-in after each call by closing your eyes and paying attention to the in and out-breath and the sensations in your body. Then, mentally walk through your day so far, notice worries and concerns and walk your mind through them. This will relax the anxiety that may be generated and building up from some of your work so far. Meditate each day - meditation helps tune into your mind and body to become more ‘awake’ in the present moment and more aware of what you need and how you are. By meditating we can cultivate the skill of non-attachment to our thoughts and judgements and enable ourselves to simply observe them and let them go. This can help us re-frame judgements and help us be less reactive to them. By doing this on a consistent basis, research shows that we will improve our ability to focus, be resilient, less ill, improve our relationships with colleagues and loved ones, and improve leadership and performance. From a business perspective, it is worth investing in and according to Delloite, will pay back 5 times of what you invest. Zach Fairbanks is a Mindfulness Meditation teacher and Co-Founder of Wellbeing in Your Office who offer an array of services for businesses either face-to-face or on-line, including Yoga, Mindfulness, Nutrition and First Aid for Mental health. Find out more at wellbeinginyouroffice.com, email info@wellbeinginyouroffice or call Tel. 07875 385 398
