Working in a fast-paced industry like luxury real estate is a rewarding yet challenging endeavor. Thriving in a competitive field requires you to always perform at your best condition. But staying focused, productive, and resilient — all while maintaining a good workplace relationship with your colleagues — can be overwhelming, and sometimes, stressful. It does not help that the modern workplace is bombarded with distractions. Whether you are working remotely or onsite, being constantly flooded with emails, notifications, and other stressors compromises your ability to perform well. The good news: you can train your mind to adapt by practicing mindfulness into the workplace.
Ahead is everything you need to know about mindfulness, its benefits to your career, as well as the ways you can integrate this practice into your workplace and overall life.
The term “mindfulness” has been juggled around in the mainstream by yogis, fitness influencers, and celebrities. But mindfulness is more than just a buzzword. The University of California at Berkeley defines mindfulness as:
“…maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, through a gentle, nurturing lens.”
In a simpler sense, mindfulness means being fully present in whatever you are doing at the moment. Now why is this so important? The busy workplace forces many employees to juggle different tasks all at once. But multitasking is a myth — it only compromises work quality and distracts you from making smart decisions at work. When you are in a mindful state, on the other hand, you have your undivided attention to your current goals, thoughts, and feelings without getting carried away by them.
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You don’t let work-related roadblocks cloud your decision-making skills. Rather than allowing yourself to be discouraged when challenges arise, your ability to self-reflect and regulate your emotions through mindfulness help you make better choices and solutions. As a result, you are able to navigate under pressure and become an effective problem solver in your organization. For example, you can discern how to reach your sales goals for the month, handle demands from discerning clients, and be a rational leader to your team or a level-headed colleague.
The key benefits of practicing mindfulness in the workforce are clear. The question is how exactly can you integrate it in your life as a Brittany Salesforce professional? A good place to start is by practicing breath meditation. This simple meditation exercise trains you to use deep and intentional breathing patterns to activate your body’s relaxation response. The premise is simple — use your breath as your anchor to the present when you feel overwhelmed with stress, negative thoughts, or pressure at work.
Box breathing is one of the basic breathing exercises for relieving workplace anxiety. Here’s how you can do it:
You can repeat the process three to seven times in one sitting to relieve any sense of work pressure and calm your nerves. Take note that if you are a beginner, it is normal to feel slight dizziness afterward.
Aside from meditating, there are other ways to practice mindfulness in the workplace. Adding a few tweaks to your usual routine can already make an impact to your mood, productivity, and performance. Ahead are simple ideas you can try:
Sitting behind your work desk for hours depletes your energy, which in turn compromises your productivity. You feel lethargic when you are just sitting around because the human body is designed to move. Scheduling 5-minute or 20-minute walk breaks on your work schedule is a simple hack to stretch your muscles and reduce stress hormones. It’s an alternative to meditation exercises that focuses on your breathing. Instead, you realign your thoughts by focusing on the way your body is moving.
Fortunately, Brittany Salesforce’s headquarters are strategically located near the thematic real estate properties of Brittany Corporation: Crosswinds Tagaytay, Vista Alabang, Brittany Sta. Rosa, and The Lakefront Sucat. That said, its members have the luxury to commune with nature while being on the field. Enjoying the cool breeze and strolling around the pine-dotted Crosswinds Tagaytay during your break can already pump up your energy levels and lift your mood. Not to mention the relaxing view of the community’s Swiss-themed luxury condo and beautiful chalets, which are sitting atop the breathtaking terrains of Tagaytay.
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Even if you are working from home, make sure to regularly go outside for a short walk. You can visit a nearby park or green spaces at the end of the work day. Better yet, use your lunch break to enjoy al-fresco dining in restaurants close to nature. If you are from the South, you will never go wrong with NAPA at Crosswinds Tagaytay, Windmill at Lausanne Crosswinds, and other food hot spots in Tagaytay.
Emails and phones are two of the biggest sources of workplace distractions. Scrolling through your mails or mindfully browsing social media in between tasks might seem harmless. But the truth is constantly interrupting your spare time disrupts your ability to concentrate on your task at hand and other high-priority tasks. You are not giving yourself the chance to pause, catch your breath and clear your mind.
What you can do: lessen unnecessary screen time. Mute your social media notifications when working and check your inbox only when necessary. When you do the latter, focus only on the important matters and filter those that can be dealt with later.
Work and life balance translates to an empowered workforce like the Brittany Salesforce. The healthy balance between your career and personal life is the key to thriving inside and outside your workplace. That being said, it is important to be fully engaged with your relationships, hobbies, and everyday life outside work too. The good news is mindfulness can be practiced anytime — even in ordinary day-to-day activities like doing household chores or going home from work. Here are easy ways to start practicing mindfulness after your working hours:
The first step to achieve work-life balance: leave your work at the workplace. Unless you absolutely need to, try not to work during your rest time. At the end of your work day, use your commute time to clear your mind and simply be in the moment. Put your phone in silent mode and turn off any music or distractions as you listen to what’s happening around you. Allow your thoughts to flow, but don’t entertain them. Focus on the sound of your inhales and exhales for at least 10 minutes. Anchoring your mind to your present surroundings helps release lingering stress before you return home and fully enjoy your downtime.
Some work-from-home tips: if you are working remotely, set aside 10 minutes of your time after working to do the same exercise above. Find a quiet corner at your home where you can close your eyes and take deep, conscious breaths. Pay attention to your breathing and appreciate the moment of silence as you fully transition your day from work to rest.
It’s no secret that being close to nature improves mood and productivity. Decorating your workplace with a few desk plants and setting aside a few minutes of your break to tend these plants each day can do the trick. If you are working remotely, you don’t have to build yourself a whole garden. You can choose from low-maintenance plant varieties that thrive indoors, even in cozy luxury condo units.
As a sales professional in the competitive luxury real estate industry, you might think that practicing mindfulness in your busy day is a bit unrealistic. Many have this idea that to be a successful luxury real estate salesperson, you have to stay occupied throughout your workday: network with potential leads, schedule phone calls, lead virtual (or actual) tours of Brittany homes or a luxury condo, close deals, and many more. Yes, the workplace can be fast-paced, and at times, demanding, but you do not have to push yourself beyond your limits. Not taking a mindful break is a one-way ticket to burnout. You can only perform your tasks well when you are in a proper headspace to do so.
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Instead of viewing mindfulness practice as something that eats your time at work, think of it as a recharge button. It replenishes your energy and reset your focus so you can become more productive throughout the day. Practicing mindfulness in the workplace is self-care. Remember that you are an important asset of your organization. Your well-being matters — be kind to your mind.
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