To approach work thought intrusions helpfully, we can use the same technique that we've been learning in the guided mindfulness practices. At some point, after work hours, you may notice that your mind has drifted into thinking about work. You might be cooking dinner, watching TV, you might be out with friends or taking a class and suddenly you'll remember a work matter - an unfinished task, or maybe a tricky conversation you've had, or something urgent that's waiting for you the next day.

When you notice that you've drifted into work thinking, the invitation is to transfer your attention into the body. What's the physical impact of this thinking?

Maybe you'll notice areas of tensing, bracing somewhere in the body. Or that your heart rate has increased. Maybe your jaw is now feeling tight, or your brow is furrowed. These sensations might be subtle or quite powerful. You can also tune into any emotional resonance. Notice any feelings of anxiety, urgency, worry. Or maybe irritability or anger. Of course you may also experience excitement, anticipation, or motivation. The thinking, physical sensations and emotions may trigger an impulse to do something. Maybe to log on to work emails, make a note of what needs to be done, make a call or send a message.

We can notice this too. Becoming actively aware of all of this means bringing it into full consciousness - in an observational rather than an engaged way. We don't have to engage. We can stand back and watch all this unfolding in the mind, the body, and the emotions. If we can do this, then we've successfully put ourselves into a rather different position. Thoughts are less likely to run on unchecked once we've noticed they're there. They're no longer under the radar, automatically driving emotions, impacting the body, or triggering automatic behaviours, such as reaching for your phone or laptop.

And it can help to name this and be quite specific.

For example, “I'm having an intrusive work thought about that report that's due. I can feel tension in my shoulders. I feel irritated.”

Generating awareness in this way is like shining a light on it. It can be helpfully revealing. Noticing the impact in the body and breathing into what we can feel can diffuse or break the chain of thinking. Allowing our emotions to be in awareness can encourage some compassion towards ourselves. Shining a light on our thoughts might even provide some perspective. You've created the mental space in which you can see more clearly. And importantly, a space in which to choose what to do next.

A reminder again that mindfulness is not prescriptive or dictatorial, far from it. Active awareness in this instance doesn't mean you'll never log on to work after hours ever again, or never think about work-related matters. But it does mean inserting the opportunity for choice and good judgement - for discernment. If it's helpful, you may wish to pose these three questions when contemplating any action related to work-thinking out of hours - if you're tempted to log on or answer a message, or go back to work when it's very late, ask yourself:

Is the action you'll take helpful?
Is it proportionate?
Is it fair?

You can attach your own meaning and context to each of these questions.

So, we can choose to follow our work thoughts, to allow them to be there, and we can also choose to act on them if we wish. Or we can choose to notice where the mind went and then drop into the body, into the breath, into sensations in the body, allowing tension to release. We can harness and accept the emotional response that's being offered. We can choose to direct our attention elsewhere to our after-work life and present moment experience.

Just as in mindfulness practice, we may have to do this ‘redirecting’ over and over again, noticing, acknowledging, coming back to the present moment.

If work -related worry thoughts are persistent or powerful, take a look at the short Thought Postponement activity in Chapter 6, page 122.

Active awareness can be the ultimate way to put you back into the driving seat, cognitively, emotionally, and practically.