Mindfulness

For this week's Do Work At Work Wednesday, we want to take a break from the physical challenges, and focus more on the mental side. This is often overlooked, but has a HUGE impact on many areas of our life. Being mindful, or present, applies directly to our work, our relationships, our lifestyle choices and our journey to live a healthy and fit life.

Mindfulness is a learned skill that can have a direct impact on our workouts. It allows us to be more safe, productive, effective and efficient. Often times this crucial piece of the puzzle is left out or forgotten while we exercise. There are appropriate moments while we work out to "turn your brain off", "just work", or "fight for that last rep". Other times, it's imperative to be more mindful, as this will aid in injury prevention, increased aptitude for a complex movement or exercise, and foster confidence in our abilities. Running is a great time to practice this idea. Technology has helped to make running a much easier thing to track (GPS watches, apps on phones, etc) as well as listening to music which can make or break a run for some. As beneficial as these devices are, they can also be distracting which is the opposite of being mindful. Sometimes you need a boost to get up that hill, or to push a little harder for that last 1/4 mile, but these situations can be dealt with if we are present in the moment.  Tell yourself "I CAN tackle this hill, one foot in front of the next" or "I'm almost done, I CAN do this. Just a 1/4 mile left, push it" and next thing you know, you've conquered that obstacle. That same mindset and skill can help you in a variety of fitness challenges. 

Begin to practice mindfulness in whatever you're doing today, and pay attention to how it changes outcomes or your perspective. Then, think about how it could impact your next workout and use it when applicable.

Michael Compton

Personal Trainer - MCT