Practicing mindfulness on the job offers a bounty of benefits, according to Halliwell. It soothes and calms our bodies and minds. It improves our ability to work and produce great work. Even when stress strikes, instead of getting overwhelmed, it helps us confront challenges head-on, he said.

How? Mindfulness trains us to stay in the present. “It trains us to become more aware of what’s going on in and around us, giving us the capacity to see things clearly and act from a wider perspective.”

Below, Halliwell shared three ways of practicing mindfulness at work.

A Daily Meditation Practice

A regular meditation practice gives you the foundation for being mindful at work, Halliwell said. He suggested reading meditation books or listening to guided CDs for developing your practice. (Mindful.org has a great list of resources.)

Mindful Breathing

Our breath, of course, is always available to us. And we can use our breath to practice mindfulness. Mindful breathing is different from deep breathing. In fact, you’re not trying to control your breath at all, Halliwell said. You’re simply “letting it be as it naturally is and gently attending to that.”

Depending on your schedule, he suggested practicing mindful breathing anywhere from 2 minutes to 30 minutes.

Sit comfortably upright, and focus on the natural flow of your breath. Halliwell described mindful breathing as “Not thinking about the breath so much as feeling its texture, riding its waves a bit like you might ride a wave on the ocean.”

Checking In With Yourself

It’s common for people to move about their days with very little awareness. For instance, without even knowing it, you might be “tensing up, ruminating [or avoiding your emotions],” which only contributes to feelings of overwhelm.

So it’s important to check in with yourself throughout the day. Notice what’s happening in your body and mind, Halliwell said.

The more we practice mindfulness, the more likely it is to become our default way of being at work, Halliwell said, “and the more attuned we will become, to ourselves, others and our environment. And the more attuned we become, the more skilful we are likely to be at whatever job we’re doing.”