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Conscious living means paying deliberate attention to your thoughts, habits, actions and reactions, and to the people around you, instead of moving through the day on auto-pilot. It is a skill you can practise, and at work it shows up as better focus, calmer reactions and clearer decisions. BOTI builds these habits through its workplace essentials and personal effectiveness courses.
What is Conscious Living?
Conscious living means acting with attention, as opposed to living in an automatic, unconscious way. Most people do most of their daily activities on habit. That does not mean they are unconscious. It means they are not fully aware of what is going on within themselves, in the world around them and in their own actions.
So it helps to ask a few honest questions. Are we aware of our thoughts? Are we in control of our reactions? Are we focused on what we are actually doing? Conscious living is about staying present during our waking hours, rather than becoming absent-minded and doing things on auto-pilot.
In the past jobs were about muscles. Now they’re about brains. But in the future….. they’ll be about the heart.
Minouche Shafik
What does it mean to live consciously?
- To live consciously is to be aware of your thoughts, habits, actions and reactions. You notice what you are thinking and doing, instead of carrying out tasks on impulse without thinking.
- Living consciously also means being aware of what is going on around you: the people in your sphere, what they are saying and how they are feeling. You become more alert to the environment in which you live and work.
- Living consciously helps you understand your own values and motives, so that your choices match what matters to you rather than being driven by habit or pressure.
How to live consciously
There are several practical ways to start living more consciously. None of them needs special equipment. They work best as small habits repeated every day.
Being aware of your thoughts
Make the effort to notice the thoughts you are holding. A few times each day, stop and pay attention to what is going through your mind. If you repeat this exercise regularly, it becomes easier and more natural.
Thinking before you act
Try not to rush headlong into anything without first thinking it through. Take a hard look at the situation, and the likely consequences, before you take action.
Practice not reacting immediately
When you feel resentment or anger, do not react immediately. Wait a moment or two before you respond. This gives you time to regain your composure and choose a response you will not regret.
Focus on what you are doing
Make the effort to focus on one task at a time. When you are fully aware of the task at hand, you work more efficiently and make fewer mistakes.
Developing your willpower and self-discipline
Willpower and self-discipline give you more control over your thoughts and actions. Start small: keep one promise to yourself each day, such as finishing a task before checking your phone, and build from there.
Broaden your viewpoint
Try to see situations from a broader viewpoint. Look beyond the beliefs you currently hold, past your ego and past your assumptions about what is or is not possible.
Show respect towards others
Respect other people’s opinions and beliefs, especially when they differ from your own. It is possible to disagree with others without damaging your relationships.
Make an effort to get out of your comfort zone
Staying in your comfort zone can lead to inertia. However difficult it may seem, step outside it now and then to open yourself to new experiences and new learning.
Meditate every day
Take time out every day to meditate. Many people find that early morning, before the day starts, works well. Even a few quiet minutes of focused breathing each day can help you feel calmer and more focused.
Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness means focusing on the present, the here and now, without judging it. Practising mindfulness helps increase your awareness and improve your focus. You can read more in our article on the mindful workplace.
Living in the present
You cannot change what happened in the past, and dwelling on old issues can lead to regret and unhappiness. Living in the present lets you enjoy what is happening now. When you make the present a good place to be, your future benefits too, because the seeds you sow now become tomorrow’s results.
Conscious living at work
Conscious living is not only a personal practice. The same habits change how people work together. A team that pays attention to what it is doing tends to communicate more clearly and handle pressure more calmly.
- In meetings: close other windows, listen to the person speaking and check that you understood before you reply.
- With email and messages: read the whole message, and pause before replying to anything that irritates you.
- In decisions: separate the facts from your first emotional reaction, and ask what you might be missing.
- In feedback: notice how your words land, and stay curious about the other person’s view.
- With your energy: notice the signs of stress early, such as a short temper or poor sleep, and act on them before they build up.
Many of these skills overlap with emotional intelligence, stress management and attention management. If constant interruptions are the main problem, the Attention Management Course focuses on that. If pressure is the main problem, the Stress Management Training course does.
How to train consciousness: a simple daily routine
Training awareness works like training a muscle: little and often. A simple routine might look like this:
- Start the day with a few minutes of quiet breathing, and set one intention for the day.
- Set two or three reminders to stop and notice your thoughts, your posture and your mood.
- Before a difficult conversation, take one slow breath and decide how you want to come across.
- Do one task at a time for a set period, without checking messages.
- At the end of the day, reflect briefly on what went well and what you would handle differently.
If you would like to build goals and habits in a short online format, the Personal Mastery: Goals, Habits and a Growth Mindset masterclass is a good starting point. Our article on improving mindfulness gives further ideas.
Frequently asked questions
What is conscious living?
Conscious living means paying deliberate attention to your thoughts, habits, actions and reactions, and to the people and environment around you, instead of moving through the day on auto-pilot. It is a practical habit of noticing what is happening and choosing how to respond.
What is the meaning of conscious living at work?
At work, conscious living shows up as focused attention on one task at a time, listening properly in meetings, pausing before replying to a difficult email or comment, and making decisions based on the facts rather than on impulse.
How do you train consciousness and awareness?
Awareness is trained through small, repeated practices: checking in on your thoughts a few times a day, pausing before you react, short daily meditation or breathing exercises, and reflecting at the end of the day on what went well and what you would handle differently.
Does BOTI run a conscious living course?
BOTI does not run a course called conscious living. The closest BOTI courses are Mastering Emotional Intelligence, which builds self-awareness and self-control, and short courses in stress management, attention management and personal mastery.
To build self-awareness, self-control and calmer responses across your team, look at BOTI’s Mastering Emotional Intelligence course. Training runs in-house at your premises, at BOTI’s venue in Sunningdale, Johannesburg, or live online. Call BOTI on 011 882 8853 or email [email protected], or request a quote. This course is not accredited. It is delivered as a professional skills programme, and delegates receive a BOTI certificate of attendance.