All That Stuff You Learned In Yoga? Bring It With You To Work!

Has this ever happened to you? You go to the gym, or whatever thing starts your day off right and clears your head: walking the dog, meditating, breakfast with your SO, yoga. Woo hoo! Next you have coffee. Yum! Listen to soothing music in the car. Ahh! You feel refreshed, peaceful, at one with the world. Om! You're ready to take on the day! Then you get to work and one unexpected problem later and suddenly, your blood pressure is through the roof. All that harmony and at-oneness goes straight out the window! There you were trying to practice mindful living and regular old living threw you a curveball. But it's probably not the problem itself that was the problem. It was your reaction to it.

Mindful Living: Keep Calm & Carry On!

We can't control everything that happens around us, but we can control how we respond. Being able to do this takes practice, especially if you have a natural tendency to fly off the handle. Not that you would do that. It's fine to let off some steam once in a while – lord knows I've been known to raise my voice or utter the occasional profanity – but having that as a de facto response? Not the best idea, especially at work. Who wants to deal with a co-worker or client who overreacts all the time? Or someone who gets upset and defensive at the slightest question? Not only is it off-putting to work with someone like that, but it's not helpful for the person having said reaction (or overreaction).

Let's go back to my example of going to the gym before work. The minute I get all worked up about something that happens back at the office, I've undone all the good I did by exercising. My calm demeanor and my clear head are gone. But the problem isn't, which means I still have to deal with it. Only now, I have to deal with it while feeling upset, and that's waaay harder. So I remind myself how helpful mindful living can be. When a problem arises, I try to stop; take a deep breath; tell myself that whatever the situation, it's not a huge deal and I can handle it; then I proceed. Once handled, I can move on to the next situation without feeling emotional and frustrated.

Being Present: Do One Thing At A Time!

Another way to incorporate mindful living at work is to just be present during each situation. It sounds so basic that I think I just heard you say "Duh Marley!" to yourself. Or out loud, which is OK too. But this one is easier said than done. Running a small business means we have a million things on our mind at once. And even though we multitask all the time – and love to brag about it – this isn't always the best approach. Sometimes it's better to do and think about only one thing at a time. Listen to the person you're talking to without letting your mind wander. Focus on the project at hand and don't worry about that other project looming next month. Work on something till it's done without interrupting yourself every five minutes for emails. Stop texting while you drive!

You get the idea, right? Be mindful of what you're doing in the moment and focus your mind on that. One thing at a time! It's a good way to simplify your thoughts and give your full attention to each situation.

Speaking of simplifying, are you in desperate need of simple and easy steps to attract clients you love, create a pricing strategy and ditch the door knockers? Then you've come to the right place! Get it here for FREE!

Be Oh So Quotable This Week!

I always say running a business means the work never ends! Ain't that the truth? I bet your to-do list is a mile long! Make sure that the items at the top of your list are the things that relate to being more profitable. Everyone is so proud of being so "busy"...But Are You Making Any Money? Don't be too busy to focus!

Check out the summary of last week's business tips and motivational quotes from my Instagram page which you hopefully got to see in real time! If not, let's make sure we're following each other on Instagram!! So...here is this week's roundup of Instagram images of My Top Business Tips and Motivational Quotes.

Mindful Living – Tip #1:

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"What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make." – Jane Goodall

Mindful Living – Tip #2:

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"I learned compassion from being discriminated against. Everything bad that’s ever happened to me has taught me compassion." – Ellen DeGeneres

Mindful Living – Tip #3:

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"No matter what happens in life, be good to people. Being good to people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind." – Taylor Swift

Mindful Living – Tip #4:

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"No one will take care of you if you don't take care of yourself." – Alicia Keys

Mindful Living – Tip #5:

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"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echos are truly endless." – Mother Teresa

Let's talk! I'd love to hear if you think mindful living is helpful!

Do you try to incorporate mindful living into your work day? Om... I would LOVE to hear from you! Anyhoo...I publish these business tips and motivational quotes to get you fired up for your work week!

Oh by the way, do you feel like you're too busy? Or like you're always working but not much is getting done? Your solution is right here and it's FREE!

And, if you want more business tips, get my book, But Are You Making Any Money? or contact me to really take your business to the next level!

xoxo M

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