We’ve all had those days. The Slack is pinging, the emails are stacking up, your to-do list is breeding like rabbits, and someone just booked in a 3pm “quick sync” that’ll definitely eat an hour of your life.

If you’ve ever found yourself halfway through writing an email while mentally planning dinner and wondering why Karen from finance is stomping so loudly, you’re not alone. We’re working in the age of constant distraction. And it’s not just bad for productivity, it’s bad for us.

So how do you come back to the present? How do you actually be at work, not just exist in it?

Here are some techniques real people use to bring themselves back down to earth when the work fog sets in...

1. The 90-Second Reset (Courtesy Of Your Nervous System)

Psychologist Dr Jill Bolte Taylor explains that when we’re feeling overwhelmed, it actually only takes 90 seconds for the emotion to flush through our system if we don’t feed it more fuel. So take a moment, literally 90 seconds, and just pause. Close your laptop. Stand up. Breathe in. Breathe out. And don’t try to fix anything in that time. Just stop. Often, that alone gives your brain the reset it needs to tackle the next task.

Try this: Put a sticky note on your screen that says “90 seconds.” It’ll remind you to take one before you open that next chaotic spreadsheet.

2. ‘Box Breathing’ Isn’t Just For Navy SEALs

This technique is used by elite performers (and regular stressed-out office workers) to calm their nervous system and refocus.

How it works:

• Inhale for 4 seconds
• Hold for 4 seconds
• Exhale for 4 seconds
• Hold for 4 seconds Repeat a few times. Sounds simple, but it works. It brings your mind back into your body, slows down racing thoughts, and can even lower your cortisol levels.

Extra tip: Do this in the bathroom if your open-plan office feels like a fishbowl of judgement.

3. Ground Yourself, Literally

When your head’s in the clouds and your inbox is on fire, grounding exercises can snap you out of the spiral. Try the 5-4-3-2-1 technique:

• 5 things you can see
• 4 things you can touch
• 3 things you can hear
• 2 things you can smell
• 1 thing you can taste

It’s a favourite of therapists and mindfulness practitioners because it physically roots you back in your environment. Kind of like turning the Wi-Fi off and on again, but for your brain.

4. Time-Block Like A Boss

Presence often comes from clarity. When your day is just a blurry mess of meetings and Slack pings, it’s hard to feel focused. Blocking out time for deep work (and even shallow admin tasks) helps your brain know what to expect.

Cal Newport, author of Deep Work, says we should treat focused time like a meeting with ourselves. Would you bail on a 1:1 with your manager? No. So don’t bail on your 11am "focus hour" either.

Apps that help:

• Sunsama – turns your task list into a daily plan
• Notion – if you like things tidy and aesthetic
• Forest – grow a tree every time you don’t check your phone

5. The Headphone Escape Clause

Sometimes presence is about boundaries. If you’re in a busy office, and the chatter is just too much, noise-cancelling headphones (even if they’re not plugged in) can be your invisibility cloak. You don’t need a reason to check out for 20 minutes. You’re allowed to create your own focus bubble.

Bonus: put on instrumental music or ambient sounds. It tricks your brain into a state of gentle alertness. Try the “Lo-fi Beats” playlist or a good thunderstorm ambience.

6. The Rule Of One

When everything’s loud, sometimes it helps to get small. Pick one thing. Just one. Do it until it’s done. Then move on. It sounds obvious, but most of us are trying to finish five half-baked things instead of just finishing one properly.

Take the pressure off. Start small. Presence comes from progress, not perfection.

You Don’t Need To Be Zen, Just Grounded

Being present at work doesn’t mean you need to turn into a meditating monk. But it does mean not losing yourself in the chaos.

Whether it’s 90 seconds of stillness, a breathing technique, or just a quiet moment with your coffee before you open Outlook, those little pauses build presence. They don’t stop the work from coming, but they do help you show up for it better.

So next time you feel yourself spinning out, start with one breath. Then another.

You're here. Now go do the thing. ????