Do you feel rushed all the time? Is it a perception or a problem? Want to beat it. Enter mindfulness.
Mindfulness is a practice which helps us to have a conscious intention of being present in every moment of our life. It is a simple way to notice thoughts, physical sensations, sights, sounds, smells and reactions.
Practicing mindfulness can help us shift our worries to a consciousness wherein we observe our perceptions, rather than reacting to it. It is actually more than a trendy philosophy, owing to the fact that employers are looking for ways to ease anxieties of overworked employees and workplace mindfulness is gaining momentum.
Big businesses like Google, Apple, Proctor & Gamble, General Mills, Nike and Yahoo use concept of mindfulness to improve workplace functioning. Most of the times, people who say they do not have time for meditation are often the ones who need it the most.
Here’s what practicing mindfulness can do for your business:
- Creates Leaders:
“More than 65% of global leaders cite that ‘talent and leadership shortages’ are their #1 business challenge,” – Bersin & Associates. Conscious leaders create a healthy environment with focused outlook. They are better able to identify talent and help them channelize and prioritize their efforts minimizing ‘mindless’ activity. This will help organizations to grow talent and leadership from within the ranks.
- Creates good company culture:
With the reduction of geographical barriers, service excellence has become a necessity. We all want employees to focus and deliver a best quality product and service. How about mindful approach to customer experience? Intrigued?
Mindfulness as a tool will make your employees more aware of thoughts and sensations in turn enhancing their observation skills. They can observe reality for what it is, rather than getting blinded by opinions and preconceptions. Patterns of toxic emotions disrupt the workplace, and practicing mindfulness increases ones awareness of these patterns.
- Creates happy workforce:
Mental wellness has a huge impact on the well-being of your teams. Practicing mindfulness over a period of time can help your employees in:
1. Gaining more confidence and strengthen self-efficacy.
2. Improving employee resilience by training the mind to identify stress patterns
3. Putting creativity in all their efforts.
4. Boosting concentration and focus.
5. Increasing empathy and enhancing synergy within teams.
Although mindfulness has been a hot topic but it still remains a new concept for most of us who are not aware of its benefits. Awareness is the key. Best way to start is introduce mindfulness in a staff meeting or outing and share facts and benefits. Be a change agent in the organisation by trying out mindfulness yourself and encourage more people to follow.
Welcome mindfulness to your workplace with an open mind and see the best of results. As quoted by Sir Francis Bacon, Sr. “We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand, and melting like a snowflake”. Let’s start making most of it from today!