My supervisor just spoke to me for a good 15 minutes and I can’t really tell you what he said or why he was hovering over my desk.

Sure, I nodded, smiled, made eye contact and remember even laughing at his jokes. But internally, I was still re-writing the last line of my report, making a list of all the clients I still had to contact before 5 p.m. and trying desperately to remember what we had in the freezer at home that could make a quick meal before soccer practice.

Employees are often stretched thin, especially working parents who may leave the house to work but never fully leave the long, lingering list of parenting and homeowner to do’s far from their mind.

The experts tell us to meditate and focus. These catch phrases make me laugh. With the ever-growing daily list of things I must do I barely have time to run to the restroom, let alone catch a few quiet moments to myself.

But, you can practice being more mindful both on the job and at home. Mindfulness if the act of being aware of the present, which can be harder than it sounds.

Sure, my boss and I were engaged in conversation and while I was listening to him I wasn’t hearing him. Instead, I was thinking about everything else I had to do. Practicing mindfulness means to make an effort to realize your thoughts are wondering away from the current conversation and concentrate fully on the conversation. It takes intent to refocus your thoughts and attention.

Another way to practice mindfulness? Don’t multi-task. It doesn’t work and in fact studies show it makes us less productive. One task at a time, one focus.

Want to learn more about practicing mindfulness on the job? Visit www.mindful.org for tips and mindful exercises you can practice just about anywhere.