Mindfulness at work: How mindfulness will help us become more effective
One tool that has been gaining popularity in the professional world for the past few years is mindfulness - the practice of mindfulness.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the practice of mindful being - focusing attention on being here and now. The origins of the concept come from Buddhist meditation, but in recent years, alongside the practice of yoga, mindfulness has nestled itself firmly in Western culture, including in the business world. In particular, researchers have confirmed that the regular practice of mindfulness helps to reduce stress, improves concentration and increases decision-making ability.
Mindfulness is no longer just a fashion trend
The results of Deloitte's 2023 Well-Being at Work Survey show that many employees often feel negative emotions and fatigue - e.g. 52% feel exhausted, 49% feel stressed, 34% feel irritable. These negative employee emotions are one of the main challenges for modern organisations to address immediately.
That is why the introduction of mindfulness into working life has proven to be not a temporary trend, but a response to the real needs of employees and their employers. Mindfulness offers tools to help employees better cope with pressure and high expectations.
Examples of mindfulness implementations include regular meditation sessions, yoga sessions, breathing workshops, mindfulness workshops or special personal development programmes focusing on emotional intelligence. As a result, the company can expect to see improved communication in teams, more creative people and fewer sick days.
How does mindfulness increase efficiency?
- Improves concentration and time management: Yoga, meditation or breathing exercises teach people to focus on one task, concentrate and counteract distractions. Employees are able to fully engage in the task at hand instead of jumping between multiple responsibilities.
- Rozwijanie inteligencji emocjonalnej: Mindfulness helps to lower cortisol levels. People who practise mindfulness become more resilient to pressure and stress, resulting in better decisions and higher productivity.
- Developing emotional intelligence: Mindfulness helps build self-awareness and empathy. Employees who are aware of their emotions and reactions handle conflict situations better and are more open to the needs of their teammates.
- Increasing creativity: Regular mindfulness practice helps break away from automatic thought patterns, which encourages the generation of new ideas and innovative approaches.
Mindfulness and personal development
Mindfulness has a great impact on personal development. Practitioners learn self-acceptance and understanding of their own emotions, which translates into increased self-confidence and a sense of fulfilment also professionally. Mindfulness also helps to build healthy habits, such as organising the day better or managing our energy and rest breaks properly.
How do you implement mindfulness in the office?
It is very simple, as no specialised tools or large budget are needed. The basis is to consistently introduce mindfulness into our daily routine. Let's start today with simple steps:
- 1-minute breathing breaks - a few deep and calm breaths will help reduce stress and regain balance.
- Mindful breaks - instead of scrolling social media, look out the window at the sky or simply eat an apple or drink a coffee focusing 100% on their taste.
- Gratitude exercise - keeping a Gratitude Journal every day, where we write down 2-3 things we are grateful for, helps to change our mindset to a more positive one.
Given that an organisation's most valuable resource is its people, it is worth embedding mindfulness in business for good! Mindfulness is an investment in our employees - their wellbeing, health, development and job satisfaction. And it is an investment that pays off quickly.
Article also published on focusonbusiness.eu/en/.