Cultivating mindfulness in the workplace
FEATURE
HARMONY AMID THE HUSTLE
Cultivating mindfulness in the workplace
The fact that 13.7m working days are lost each year in the UK because of work-related stress , anxiety and depression , at an estimated annual cost of £ 28.3bn ( National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence ) demands urgent action .
What are you doing in your workplace to address this need ? Well surprisingly , for an increasing number of business leaders , including dot . com giants such as Google and Meta , the answer doesn ’ t lie solely with modern technological innovation such as AI , but with something thousands of years older – the ancient intelligence , or AI , that is mindfulness .
An exciting and growing body of clinical research is beginning to demonstrate just how effective mindfulness can be in encouraging and supporting employees to thrive mentally in the workplace , and thereby significantly improve productivity . For example , included among the many benefits of mindfulness to the work environment are increased focus and flexibility and greater task commitment , as well as an enhanced enjoyment of work .
“ Paying attention – being present in the moment and fully focused on the now – is a capability that can make the difference between good decisions and great decisions .” Lieutenant General Walter Piatt
Mindfulness also helps to support innovation . Regular mindful practice , for example , invites greater calmness to both body and mind , which naturally brings much more creative and adaptive approaches to the regular pattern of challenge and change of the modern dynamic workplace .
And what of the ever-increasing levels of stress that bring such high absence rates and associated costs ? Mindful awareness allows us to spot specific stressors as they arise , whether at company strategic level or in day-today employee functioning , and instead of unconsciously reacting in a negative way , invites the ability to pause and choose how best to respond .
Harnessing the ability to self-regulate is a key skill in developing greater resilience within teams and individuals , thereby positively enhancing social harmony within the workplace .
What is mindfulness ? Very simply , it is a skill . The practice of noticing in a kind way what is actually happening now , in this moment , just as it is .
How do I do it ? You might like to choose something to focus upon , such as the sounds around you , your breath , or the task you are currently working . Now , as you focus on this activity , you may soon notice your focus beginning to wander away , maybe to remembering what was for lunch or perhaps considering what might be happening tonight . Notice this movement of the mind with kindness and then bring your attention back to your chosen focus .
Why the kindness ? Well , your brain is a thought factory , and its job is to produce lots and lots of thoughts . You can ’ t stop them , but you can notice them and choose how best to deal with them . Being aware of the constant interruptions of emails , notifications and your thoughts is key to taking control and managing attention and focus .
How does this work in the real world ? Well , suppose you had a difficult conversation at work that left you feeling frustrated and maybe a little angry . As you try to relax at home , your mind may keep running the replay button of that conversation , again and again , while the anger you felt at the time builds within you , so that later in the day , sleep becomes almost impossible . By noticing this , you can then choose to disengage and put a workable strategy in place to deal with this issue at work and let it go for now .
How do I implement mindfulness in the workplace ? Whatever you choose , it has to be realistic , practical and effective for you and your company . You don ’ t have to collectively sit down for 45 minutes and gaze at a flower . You can capture the benefits of mindfulness with frequent , short , flexible and appropriate practices .
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