Engaging mindfulness activities are a fun and interactive way for your group to cultivate presence, reduce stress and establish a sense of belonging to their work and the team. Mindfulness at work helps boost focus, enhance communication and build a collective energy that’s relaxed, supportive and harmonious.
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In this post I’m sharing my top 5 favorite engaging mindfulness activities for groups. I’ve been part of an organization that opened each meeting with a moment of mindfulness. I’ve also led mindfulness and corporate yoga sessions that included each of these activities. In each instance, I’ve witnessed the power of mindfulness at work, work!
How to incorporate engaging mindfulness activities
Mindfulness activities can be integrated into various parts of group events to set a positive tone, replenish energy and provide a thoughtful closing to a long day of meetings.
For example, at the beginning of a meeting, a brief pause can help participants leave distractions behind and prepare for productive collaboration.
During a long conference or workshop, a mindfulness session can ease mental fatigue and eye strain, helping participants reset their physical and mental energy.
At the end of a day filled with meetings or activities, a mindfulness exercise can offer a chance to reflect, release any lingering stress, and create a sense of closure.
These activities also work well as an icebreaker, helping group members connect on a deeper level right from the start. This is especially helpful for people who just met but also works really well with established groups.
5 engaging mindfulness activities
1. 5-4-3-2-1
Tap into all 5 senses with this simple and versatile activity. You can change the order, but it goes something like this:
5 things you can see
4 things you can hear
3 things you can touch
2 things you can smell
1 thing you can taste
I typically keep the number one spot for taste as the prompt is to notice one thing you can taste on your lips (gloss, balm) or something you can still taste on your tongue (coffee, lunch). Participants can go through these prompts silently if they’re in the same room or, they can share their observations from their home office or co-working space while working remotely.
2. Mindful office description
As a group and while working together in the same office, use a whiteboard to come up with as many detailed descriptions of the office as possible. These descriptions can be about the decor, energy in the room or the surrounding lots. The goal is to focus on the space and work together to describe it.
3. Eye strain prevention
This exercise is adapted from the 20-20-20 rule for preventing eye strain. Have each participant extend their arm with their thumb facing upwards, arm shoulder height. Instruct them to look down at their nose, out at their thumb and up and past their thumb into the far distance. Complete a few rounds with each arm extended. You can follow this up with a few gentle neck scratches.
4. Mindful mental walk through
For this activity, participants get to act as an outside observer to their own morning routine.
Ask them to take a mental walkthrough of their entire morning routine – without judgement – right up until they logged in for work. The goal is to focus in on that one part of the day and use the breath to guide them back when their mind wanders.
5. Mindfulness bell
I love this activity from the Positive Psychology website. Participants are encouraged to close their eyes and listen for the cue on the video. When they hear it, the goal is to focus all of their attention on the bell until the sound fades away. This helps to stay grounded and focused on the present moment.
Get leadership involved
Whenever possible, encourage people at all levels in the organization to participate. Mindfulness isn’t just for supporting staff; senior leaders can benefit greatly from a mindfulness break, too.
Leadership participation is one way to show that upper management cares about the well-being of each individual and about the company culture as a whole.
Mindfulness activities aren’t just for individuals or long-time “yogis.” They’re a powerful tool for employee wellness and groups of all sizes to foster a sense of connection to self and to each other.
Start here!
If this is new to your group, I recommend starting with the first activity, 5-4-3-2-1, as most people are comfortable tapping into the 5 senses they already use each day.
Start small and gradually build to a culture of mindfulness.
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