Ever wondered how much time we lose when we are not mindful? 

According to the surprising disclosure from The Harvard Gazette, approximately 47% of waking hours are usually spent on irrelevant things. In other words, it can be labeled as daydreaming or a wandering mind, which is a hindrance to high productivity.

Many experts claim that it is a natural tendency of the human mind to wander. But if that’s the case, then what’s the solution?

Let’s find out! 

What is the meaning of mindfulness and its types?

Mindfulness is a practice to realign your thoughts and become aware of the present moment. It involves intensely sensing the feelings and thoughts crossing your mind without further interrupting or judging them. 

There are many types of mindfulness that a worker can adapt to their daily lifestyle, such as:

Meditation

It is a powerful strategy to attain a clear and stable state of mind. The technique involves focusing attention on a particular object, thought, or activity, enhancing attention span.

Yoga 

It’s an ancient India-based art focusing on the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of the human body, facilitating reduced stress and overall peace. 

Qigong

It is a brilliant practice involving body posture, movement, breathing, and meditation, positively impacting health and spirituality. 

Diaphragmatic breathing

Belly or deep breathing promotes motivation to work effectively and aids stable attention. This type of breathing eases anxiety by supplying an ample amount of oxygen to the mind. 

Transcendental meditation

This type of meditation includes mentally repeating a word until an individual reaches the stage of inner peace. 

Mindful meditation

Being mindful while meditation allows an individual to let go of negativity, get rid of racing thoughts, and calm both your mind and body. 

How does mindfulness affect time management skills?

Do you think managing time is as straightforward as creating a schedule and sticking to it? Well, it needs more than that. 

When you start working, it’s not difficult to realize that time management is a primary skill that works as fuel to excellent productivity. Not managing time results in missed deadlines, and consequently, a buildup of piled-up work. 

According to insights from Medium, a corporate meditation program implemented by Project-meditation, a Detroit-based chemical plant, resulted in a 120% increase in employee productivity and an 85% decrease in absenteeism after 3 years. Thus, mindfulness helps with clear thoughts and conscience which in turn facilitates better time management, productivity, and stress management. 

Let’s now have a look at how mindfulness affects time management.  

Helps you analyze and prioritize tasks based on their importance

Classifying tasks based on urgencies and rewards is a credible strategy to determine how much time and thoughts are sufficient to kill the task gracefully. By prioritizing tasks, individuals can ensure that, by the end of the day, they are left with non-draining tasks, resulting in a well-planned day.

Pulls you back from unwelcome thoughts and daydreaming

Daydreaming about unproductive or irrelevant thoughts significantly wastes valuable time that could have been utilized more effectively. Mindfulness helps you come back to the present and reminds you about the in-hand tasks that need immediate attention, instead of rumination.

Teaches you to not panic with overwhelming workloads or situations

Stress and anxiety caused by overwhelming tasks greatly hinder effective time management. Overcoming these challenges requires mindfulness, as practicing mindfulness helps alleviate agitation and fear, promoting a more productive mindset.

The zigzag relationship between mindfulness, time management, and productivity

To hone time management skills, an individual should channel their energy to stay mindful throughout the day. Mindfulness helps in contemplative time spending and supports efficient workload management. 

Thus, it can be said that these three elements of poised life are interconnected. A few moments of mindfulness are definitive to induce more productivity and superior task handling. 

Mindful approaches for finer time management

Mindfulness is accessible to everyone, without the need for complex knowledge. Its simplicity allows for practice in various settings, whether it’s in the office or while traveling. For instance, deep breathing, one of the many mindful exercises, can realign your thoughts and release stressful triggers that hinder productivity.

Here are some of the top ways to be mindful of your time at any time of the day. 

Prioritize tasks

Prioritizing tasks is imperative because, in the hustle to wrap up the work, less significant tasks occupy a major portion of your time and the most important tasks usually stay unfinished.

Avoid multitasking

According to the insights from Forbes, multitasking drains faster and affects productivity by 40%. It is indeed counterintuitive to the assumption that multitasking helps with more results in less time. 

Take regular breaks

Small and regular breaks boost productivity and redirect your mind to solve a problem with a better and more creative approach and a relaxed mindset. 

Practice simple de-stressing exercises

Stress has a perplexing effect on the mind, fueling panic attacks and anxiety. As a result, productivity takes a hit, leaving individuals back at square one. Simple de-stressing exercises, such as breathing, stretching, or meditation can serve as fantastic stress relievers.

Review goal achievement

Regularly reviewing your goals and assessing how mindfulness is impacting your performance reframes your mindset, enabling improved task handling and time management. This practice empowers you to identify necessary changes and make adjustments to optimize your productivity effectively.

Get creative

Creativity soothes your mind and provides an effective channel to vent out stress. Keeping a sketchbook along to jot down creative designs or thoughts is a fabulous mindful practice. 

Conclusion

Mindfulness holds the key to effectively managing not only time but also your overall life.  

If you are looking for an effective tool to manage time, KonarkPro can be your helpful partner at the workplace. The tool consists of multiple useful features designed to help you manage your time effectively and gain valuable insights into your performance.