You can meditate at work with your eyes open or closed, depending on what feels safe, respectful, and suitable for the setting.
Complete presence can involve settling your attention in several ways, so Be There does not require closing your eyes. In a shared workplace, you can breathe quietly while looking at a fixed point, notice the feeling of your feet on the floor, or take a mindful walk between tasks, choosing what feels safe and respectful for the setting.
What does being present look like at work?
Be There has three connected parts. Physical presence means preparing your body to engage, such as turning toward a colleague and putting your phone aside. Mental presence means following the conversation instead of rehearsing your reply or switching between messages. Emotional presence means staying open to the other person’s experience, even when their concern is difficult to hear.
For example, a manager may take two calm breaths with their eyes open before a performance conversation. During the meeting, they listen without drafting a defense, notice when they feel tense, and ask a clarifying question before responding. That is meditation in action because attention is being brought back to the person and the moment.
You also can protect presence by choosing the right time. If an employee approaches while you are handling an urgent issue, say, “I want to give this my full attention. Can we talk at two?” Keep that promise, then remove avoidable distractions when you meet.
How can I practice without closing my eyes?
Try one of these quiet options:
- Take three steady breaths while keeping a relaxed gaze on your desk, a window, or a neutral point on the wall.
- Walk to your next meeting at an easy pace and notice each step, your breathing, and the sounds around you.
- Before answering a message, feel your hands on the keyboard and read the full request once.
- In a conversation, listen for the person’s meaning and emotion before deciding what you will say.
- At the end of a meeting, pause for one breath and identify the next action clearly.
A closed-eye practice can work in a private office, wellness room, or another place where you will not be interrupted. In an open area, it may make coworkers wonder whether you are available, and safety should guide the choice around equipment, customers, or movement. Presence is the goal, so use the form that helps you stay attentive and considerate.
A simple check is to ask yourself: “Am I physically here, mentally here, and emotionally available?” If the answer is no, gently return to the person, task, or breath in front of you.
Questions like this one, and many more about employee wellbeing, are explored in the FISH! Philosophy upgraded trial, which gives your team 30 days of access to the FISH! film and its digital guides.
