Shamata, or the practice of Calm Abiding, helps us cultivate a calmer and more centered life. It provides us tangible ways to embody compassion, joy, and courage to show up as our best selves in all areas of life.

Shamata can benefit not only us, but our co-workers, too!

Below are three exercises to broaden our and our co-workers’ capabilities to be present.

Gratitude. Gratitude is a practice that snowballs once put into action. Whether at a weekly meeting or on their own, encourage those around you to set aside time to write down three things they’re grateful about and allow them the space to share those if they want.

Kindness. Strengthen kindness muscles by inviting co-workers to engage in weekly random acts of kindness. Help them expand their awareness of what a random act of kindness is to include things they normally wouldn’t do. This will allow them to start seeing opportunities for kindness all around them.

Savor the ordinary. We’ve all heard the expression “stop and smell the roses” but how often do we put truth to those words? Encourage your colleagues to find an ordinary, everyday situation or experience and feel and think through how they’re grateful for it. By learning to savor the ordinary, our capacity for positivity can increase.

While it can be hard to see past tight deadlines and number crunching, focusing on workplace well-being can help prevent burnout and increase the ability to be present.

Published on Mar 07 09 : 00 am