Let’s face it. Trying to keep work life separate from family, social and personal life, and vice versa, can be challenging. With the advent of “always on” mobile, connecting technology (emails, IMs, Facebook, Snap Chat) blurring the natural separation between work, play and socializing, it’s no wonder that requests for employee behavioral health conditions (depression, stress and anxiety) have almost doubled in the past 4 years.  Where “multitasking” and “flexing” were heralded as desirable life skills to cultivate in this modern age, they are now recognized as potential gateways to developing stress related illnesses including high blood pressure, diabetes, anxiety and depression.

Health experts now recognize that “finding balance” and achieving a more linear lifestyle rather than jumping in, out and between work, play and social life promotes a health and wellbeing.  Who thought the concept of intentionally attending to our present experience with acceptance, non-judgmentally while protecting our psyche from distractions can improve our health?  A large and growing number of health care practitioners have discovered that this skill, Mindfulness, can be developed helping us to achieve a higher level of health, in both body and mind.

Mindfulness practice is easy to learn. One of the simplest techniques to learn is called “Circle of Liberation.”   Focus on an image or word in your mind. Eventually a competing thought, worry, emotion or sensation will come to mind.  When you notice your mind has drifted, acknowledge the distraction and release it without judgment, returning to the original focus.  As you practice this technique overtime, you will notice improvement in your ability to stay focused for longer periods of time and more easily recognize distractions.

Applying Mindfulness to our lifestyle supports the ability to maintain a purposeful healthy boundary between work, love and play. Mindfulness builds an internal “observing witness” to guide us toward deflecting distractions that interfere with full engagement in the pure pursuit of work, relationships and healthful living.  For more information on Mindfulness and its health promoting qualities, check out these resources below.

Fralich, T. Cultivating Lasting Happiness- A 7-Step Guide to Mindfulness, 2012 Pesi Publishing and Media.

Kabat-Zinn, J. Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life, 1994 Hyperion Publishing.