In a society that glorifies business and constant productivity, the concept of mindfulness has begun circulating around modern workplaces as a means of intentionally slowing down and alleviating stress. Mindfulness, at its core, is the practice of being fully present and engaged in one’s own life, exploring self-awareness, and making an effort to act intentionally.  Some benefits of incorporating the practice of mindfulness into the workplace include:

• Increased worker productivity and efficiency

• Increased worker satisfaction

• More effective communication between all levels of employees

• Burnout prevention

A concept quite appealing in theory, but when it comes to execution, many leaders are unsure of how to incorporate mindfulness as a meaningful practice in their workplace that will lead to impactful and lasting results. What most people managers are unaware of however, is that becoming a more mindful leader can start with incorporating simple new habits into your own personal routine. Here are 6 simple practices to get started.

Daily check-ins

Beginning your morning or taking a moment after lunch to do a body scan – paying attention to how you feel physically, mentally, and emotionally, is both an opportunity to slow down and take a breath for a moment, and to allow you to structure your priorities and agenda for the day to best serve you. Allowing yourself to explore how you feel each day may also help you pinpoint reasons as to why you may be feeling off, sluggish and tired, or energetic, motivated and inspired. Do you have any habits that don’t serve you? Does eating a good breakfast set you up to have a more productive day?

Don’t stop at just checking in with yourself. Check in with your direct reports as well – ask them how they’re feeling, if they have any feedback for you, if they’ve done their own body scan that day. Not only are you leading by example by regularly checking in with yourself, but you’re also teaching your employees how to find more clarity for themselves and practice more self-awareness.