Harvard Business Review Emotional Intelligence Collection (4 Books) (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series)

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How to Practice Mindfulness Throughout Your Work Day

By Rasmus Hougaard and Jacqueline Carter

You probably know the feeling all too well: You arrive at the office with a clear plan for the day, and then, in what feels like just a moment, you find yourself on your way back home. Nine or ten hours have passed but you’ve accomplished only a few of your priorities. And, most likely, you can’t even remember exactly what you did all day. If this sounds familiar, don’t worry: You’re not alone. Research shows that people spend nearly 47% of their waking hours thinking about something other than what they’re doing.¹ In other words, many of us operate on autopilot.

Add to this that we have entered what many people are calling the “attention economy.” ...