“Savor” isn’t just for flavor

How mindfulness & reflection enhance workplace happiness

When the days of the week blend together and daily tasks begin to feel mundane, remembering the aspects of work you appreciate can be difficult. Sure, speaking with your boss about the projects you’re most passionate about or talking to your favorite coworker can help, but personal interactions are harder to come by, especially with so many working from home.

Practicing the technique of savoring can help make a full shift in embracing what you love in your work.

What is savoring?

Savoring lengthens and intensifies positive emotions associated with doing something you enjoy, as it involves reflecting on a moment to understand what you appreciate about it. Some examples of savoring are…

• Thinking back to how you felt after speaking with a friendly customer

• Remembering the excitement of working on a project that showed off your creative side

What helps enhance the practice of savoring?

A few simple techniques will help build the habit of savoring, and continue to enhance the appreciation of each moment of choice!

• Thinking of how fortunate you are to be there

  • Imagine what you might be doing if not employed by your company, if not self-employed, etc.

• Ensure you’re fully present in the moment

  • Yes, this means resisting the urge to check Instagram mid-conference call!

• Keep a memento from the activity

  • Remember the shenanigans that ensued at your company outing? Keep that group photo!

• Share the experience with another person

  • The dinner table is an easy venue for sharing positive moments from the day

Okay, but how does mindfulness help with savoring?

Mindfulness can help us become more aware of what’s happening in the moment, and find more opportunities for savoring.

“Oh, I meditate” has become a hobby many claim to have over the past few years, but choosing meditations to meet your goals can be confusing with an abundance of apps and classes at your fingertips.

Nina Iordanova, Co-Founder of Hello Iris, a company that designs guided meditations based on individual personalities, shares some tips on how to incorporate meditation and mindfulness into your daily routine.

Try making one small promise to yourself every day.

That can be as simple as promising yourself to take a 20-minute walk after you send five more emails. Making sure to keep your promise rather than thinking, “It can wait, I might as well finish all of these!” cultivates a sense of gratitude, and a bigger appreciation for the moment you’ve created for yourself.

Incorporate meditation into your daily routine.

Meditation can be one of the first things we drop from our schedules when life becomes hectic. That 15-minute start to your day can suddenly seem like 15 minutes you’d rather spend sleeping. 

One way to get better at sticking to your practice is to tie it into another part of your routine. 

Try meditating...

• After you put the coffee pot on

• Before or after an exercise class

• After you shower

As you begin to incorporate meditation into your daily routine, it will feel less like something to “opt out” of. 

Making coffee will soon feel like a prompt to sit down and meditate, and skipping your regular session might start to feel like you’re missing a normal part of your day!

There are also many other ways to practice mindfulness. 

Check in with your body and breath.

Whenever I’m sitting and working for an extended period of time, I like to do a periodic check-in with my body and breath. It’s a way to become aware of and release any tension I might be holding.

Try this 30-second exercise:

• If your ankles are crossed, uncross them and place both feet on the floor

• Check in with the places you often tense when you’re stressed (calves, hips, stomach, shoulders, and jaw are big ones)

• First, see if bringing your awareness to each group of muscles helps them relax

• Next, try using your breath to help them release

• Notice if the breath itself is shallow or unable to travel

• If so, try slowing down your breathing to mindfully create more space and depth

It’s a great way to stay mindful of what your body and breath are doing and to bring yourself back into alignment with both. 

No matter how bizarre the times in which we find ourselves, we can all take a moment to recognize, reflect on, and appreciate the positive things. No matter what happens, savor the good!