The Bartender’s Guide To Mindfulness

There are many ways bartenders can be mindful and use the technique, to improve how they feel physically and mentally. Being mindful is all about being aware of your needs and acting on those to improve your mental health.

Lauren Paylor, the founder of Focus on Health, bares all on how to be more mindful.

To achieve mindfulness, you need to have balance in your life. One of the best ways to do that is to set boundaries and expectations, at work and home.  

Focus on spending as much effort on your home life as you do at work, so that both aspects of your routine feel rewarding. Hobbies can be a great way to achieve balance, as they can make you happy and bring that positive mood to work.  

Having balance also means that you should work to tune into what your body needs, and be willing to pause and rest when required.

Disorganization can lead to stress and anxiety. Being mindful means planning and working out what you need to succeed and perform well.  

Think of the last time you were stressed. Better preparation and organization would have likely alleviated that situation. Having foresight and staying organized is a tremendous mindful skill that helps you beat fear, anxiety, and stressful situations.

Mindfulness can be achieved by better prioritization in your life. You'll always do the most critical thing at the bar first, with less important tasks delegated to co-workers or done later. You should follow this same process in your day-to-day life too.  

Decide what your priorities are and get them done first. This makes them less of a burden and helps you stay focused. Having a plan and deadlines will make you much better at this, and reviewing the essential things you need to do in your life is a great way to practice mindfulness.

Your physical health is a huge factor in your mental wellbeing. If your physical health falls to the wayside, both will suffer. Be mindful and maintain a good routine around your work commitments. 

Popular Bar Manager Zdenek Katanek shares simple ideas on how to be mindful and healthy.

Stress is a significant emotion many bartenders experience, often daily – with frequent triggers like late shifts, large orders, loud venues, and staff shortages.

Long-term stress can harm your health, impacting performance and wellbeing. It's normal to experience, but many in the industry struggle to manage stress, which can be detrimental.

Here are some mindful ways to tackle stress specifically, with advice curated from Laura Green, Founder of Healthy Pour.

• Try square breathing. This is deep, controlled breathing that can help you regulate your heart rate and calm you down.  

• Squeeze stress balls. The tightening and relaxing of our muscles can release tension, making you feel better.  

• Movement can help with stress, burning off excess energy, and leaving us feeling good again. During breathing exercises, try shaking your hands as you exhale, to make you more regulated.  

• Getting some space and alone time can help you reduce stress, as you're spending time away from a trigger and in a calmer environment.  

• Sleep can help you emotionally regulate and beat stress. For a deeper, better quality sleep, stay away from your tech’s screens before you go to bed.

• Practicing wellbeing can improve stress and your overall health.  

• Wellbeing is all about being aware of your needs. Focus on getting balance, structure, and organization into your life.  

• Health is an important aspect of mindfulness. Plan your meals and exercise to be more mindful.  

• Stress is a substantial issue bartenders face. Combat it by breathing exercises, releasing muscle tension, and by movement.