I’ve been struggling to focus at work this week. My team has been moved onto a new floor at work and everyone is now sitting much closer together after a year of Covid-safe spacing. Also, I don’t want to whine, but the lights are too bright and the desks are teeny. Pre-Covid, this would have felt normal. I may have even enjoyed the buzz. Now, it’s taking me a moment to recalibrate...

This, of course, is nothing compared to what I’m hearing from friends in London and the US, who are heading back into work after many months at home. There, it’s weird and quiet and even more distracting. “My office is almost post-apocalyptic, because we all just stopped going in one day and as we’re returning, it’s like our desks were frozen in time,” is how one friend described going back to work. “Everything looks the same… but we’re so different. And yes, it’s hard to focus” 

Which brings me to my point: mindful walking. This is an easy practise I picked up from Headspace.com (hands down my favourite mindfulness app) while writing a story about stress in the middle of a very stressful time at work. It helps your nervous system power down… gets you out of your mind and into your body… and afterwards I always feel batter able to focus. Even better, you can do it anywhere, anytime, wth your eyes wide open. It’s a kind of meditation, but you don’t need to understand or even like meditation to do it. Basically, if you know how to take a walk around the block, you’ve got this.

Here’s what to do: Leave the office and start walking at whatever pace you like. Follow each cue for about 30-60 seconds:

Body check

Notice how the body feels. Heavy or light, stiff or relaxed? Take a few seconds to become aware of your posture and the way you’re carrying yourself.

Observe

Without changing the way you’re walking, observe your gait. Bring your attention to it. This can sometimes make you feel self-conscious, but that feeling usually passes.

Tune in

Notice what’s going on around you — passing cars, other people, window displays, trees, the movement and quiet of things, or any other sights that come into your awareness. 

Note sounds

Notice the sounds that drift in. What can you hear? Again, try to realise any noise but not dwell on it.

Familiar smells

Now turn your attention to any smells, whether pleasant or unpleasant. Notice how the mind wants to create a story out of each smell. It might remind you of somewhere, something, or someone.

Physical sensations

Next, make a point of noticing any physical sensations, from how the weather makes you feel to how it feels as the sole of your feet touch the ground. Notice, acknowledge, let go.

Movement

Contemplate the sensation of movement in the body: observe your stride, your pace, and the rhythm you’ve become accustomed to.

Focus on your rhythm

Use that rhythm — the soles of the feet touching the ground — as your base of awareness, a place you can mentally come back to when the mind wanders off. Repeat this throughout your walk, step by step, block by block, or mile by mile.

I promise, you will feel better when you get back to your desk.