Catch ya later: How to quiet your mind during the workday

There are few things more frustrating than getting pulled into a spiral of thinking while you’re trying to work.

You’re charting, in a meeting, or mid-conversation, and suddenly your brain latches onto something else.
A comment from a colleague.
An email that felt off.
A patient interaction you can’t stop replaying.
The tantrum your kid threw getting to the bus.
Nothing dramatic. Just enough to distract you.

And once it starts, it’s hard to ignore. Your attention keeps drifting back to it.
What did that mean? Should I have handled that differently? What if this turns into a bigger issue?
All while you’re supposed to be focusing on the task in front of you.

That’s what makes rumination at work so disruptive. Not because the thought is important, but because it hijacks attention when you need it most.

Instead of fighting the thoughts or trying to shut them down, try acknowledging them.
“I see you, thoughts, and I’ll return to you after work.” 

This isn’t avoidance, it’s a plan.
Your brain often settles when it knows the thoughts will be attended to later.
You get your focus back without force.

You don’t need to resolve your feelings, your relationships, or your entire life plan in the middle of a workday. Despite what your brain suggests. And this may surprise you, but often by the time you come back to it later, you discover it was an anxious feeling driving the rumination and now it’s calmer and each thought might no longer need to even be addressed. 

We hope this gentle plan helps you get through your day with a clearer mind.