By Simon Michaels
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is an ancient and integral part of many meditation practices. So what has this got to do with modern life and the workplace?
In essence, being mindful means staying fully aware of all external changes and internal states, in a non-judgemental manner. It helps people to cope with stress, get along better with other people, and be more focused. This creates more effective businesses and organisations.
Its business application
The modern, secular form of mindfulness was developed in hospitals in the USA in the 1970s. It was used with great success in helping patients with chronic pain and depression, where drugs and other therapies had no effect. Doctors in the UK are now prescribing mindfulness courses for depression, as the results are better.
In the business world it is now being taken very seriously, both as part of the well-being agenda (people get happier and healthier) and as a way to improve productivity. Organisations including Google, Transport for London and even Welsh Government have run programmes with great results (such as a huge drop in absenteeism due to stress).
What’s in the training?
Typically, the content of mindfulness training includes exercises and practices such as:
• developing calm awareness in the present moment, through breathing and other meditations (even a one minute exercise at the desk can make an impact)
• learning to tune-in to the body, as a way to directly experience feelings and emotions
• recognising our habits and patterns of reaction to stress and difficulties
• developing our emotional intelligence and responding to stressful stimuli in a more considered and less self-orientated way
• learning to be kind to ourselves and others
In the workplace, mindfulness training is focused in two ways. The first is about how we can stay calm and focused in the face of diverse stress factors; the second is about how we can relate to other people and events with acceptance and kindness, improving our communication with colleagues and external parties. There are also practical techniques for bringing this approach into meetings, emails and phone calls, and in staff management.
Outcomes
Studies show that people completing mindfulness courses develop skills that are invaluable in the work environment. Research shows that staff:
• remain more calm and focused in the face of multiple demands
• focus better for longer, and communicate more clearly
• work better within teams, with clients and with other stakeholders
• exhibit less stress, anxiety, and depression
• are more productive and take less time off work
About
Research evidence: see https://mindfulnessinsideout.com/evidence-2/
We provide online training, including a free taster course, a free stress check tool, a free e-book on stress at work, a short course for the super-stressed, and a full 9 week course.
