Feeling stressed at work? With tight deadlines, long working hours, and difficult conversations, it is easy to feel overstimulated, stressed, and even sapped of all energy. Constantly high cortisol levels can leave you unenthusiastic and confused.
With constant distractions of modern life like social media and busy lifestyle, millennials feel unproductive and less happy at work. Well, fret not, Mindfulness can help! If you are a seeker of everyday joy, mindfulness practice is just for you.
Mindfulness is not a new concept, it has entered our lexicon in the past decade as an effective solution to reduce stress, enhance overall productivity & performance, and increase joy at work. Many forward-thinking companies in the modern world of constant connectivity and distraction practice mindfulness to run their business, boost employee’s mental health, and their career.
Corporations such as Spotify, Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Goldman Sachs, train their employees to practice simple meditation techniques right at their desks to reduce anxiety and boost the sense of presence.
Why is Mindfulness at work so important?
There are various advantages of practicing mindfulness at work like an increase in productivity, overall well-being of employees, and stress relief etc. Who doesn’t want to be happier and bring the frazzle of mind to a standstill?
The idea of practicing meditation just for a few minutes can not only lift your dull mood but might even prevent burnout. Be mindful even if your mind is full – performing basic meditation right at your desk can make you feel energized and ready to take on the next task with a clear mind.
Mindfulness does not mean manifesting your thoughts or remaining silent, it is just a practice to give your mind some rest and be an observer to your thoughts. As said by Yung Pueblo, “Meditate for a few minutes to allow yourself to transform as many times as you need to be fully happy and free.”
Neurocoach Heather Crider once shared that practicing mindfulness is important because “when people are happier and peaceful from within, they can then become more successful in life.” Mental fitness is more important than physical fitness as it is the key to success in all areas of life.
Benefits of mindfulness at work:
Jon Kabat-Zinn quotes, “Mindfulness is the awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment or non-judgmentally.”
While many may agree that meditation is a retreat from the outsized challenges, many leaders often reject the concept – missing the significant, direct impact it can have on performance and efficiency of the employees.
Mindfulness not only helps in leading a meaningful and happier life, but it also acts as an antidote against some of the most unproductive behavior in the workplace. Here are a few benefits of mindfulness that can encourage peak performance and take your business to the next level:
- It can boost confidence and decision-making – Stressful work environments can hamper your decision-making abilities. Meditation or mindfulness for a couple of minutes can help you calm your mind so that you can make proper decisions. According to Psychotherapist Linda Espocito, “Approaching a decision from a calm mind could give a different mindset to the situation.” E.g.: How can you tackle a complex situation? How to avoid emotions and try not to get hot during meetings?
- It can bring out the creative side in you – There’s nothing better than coming up with an excellent marketing idea when you are struggling with your daily operations. However, if there is a constant noise in your mind, you won’t be able to be more creative. By incorporating mindfulness into the company culture, you can create more opportunities for brainstorming, come up with unique ideas, reduce anxiety, and solve the task quickly.
- Heighten productivity – Whether you are a small company or a large organization, practicing mindfulness in your organization can help you focus on employee’s mental strength, their happiness, and their career. If they are happier at work they can be more focused and attentive, avoid distractions, and in turn be more productive for the company.
How are you supposed to find time to practice mindfulness at work?
Did you know just 10 minutes of daily mindfulness practice can dramatically boost productivity? But for busy professionals finding even 10 minutes every day can be a challenge!
According to the Harvard Business Review article, senior-level professionals spend an average of 1,060 minutes awake per day. And yet allocating just 10 minutes, less than even 1% of their waking hours – to practicing mindfulness proves demanding for some and impossible for others.
But by putting time commitment in perspective, establishing healthy habits, formal practice, and realizing the benefits of mindfulness could make a huge difference! While tea, coffee, broccoli, and kale can be superfoods to fuel our bodies, mindfulness can be a superpower to fuel our minds.
You can follow these simple habits to bring mindfulness into practice:
- Try to carve out 10 minutes first thing in the morning
- Listen to audio exercises, relaxing sounds, or instrumental music. It is a great therapy to calm the nervous system
- Simply breathe in and out to clear brain fog and calm anxiety
- Keep a coloring book in your office drawer. Doodling or coloring for a few minutes helps the mind calm and express itself.
- Go for a walk inside your office or corridor and breathe deeply.
- Eat lunch by yourself slowly and mindfully
Mindfulness isn’t difficult or time-consuming; we just need to remember to do it! Aim for consistency in life.
Push yourself because no one is going to do it for you!
Unplug everything for a few minutes, including you, and see the magic – everything will work again. Mindfulness exercises for a few minutes will work like magic enabling you to seek peace, wisdom, release anxiety & tension so that you can take care of yourself physically, emotionally, and mentally.
So, next time if you get tired, don’t quit, learn to meditate! Practice these simple meditation techniques before you clock out for the day and see the difference for yourself.
