Mindfulness at the Office
One of the reasons mindfulness has been practiced for over 2,500 years of human history is that it has the potential to foster human growth. The challenge is how to make mindfulness a daily habit.
Mindfulness not only benefits individuals, it benefits the organization by improving the way we work. Mindfulness can improve work-life balance, align individual and organizational goals and increase employee focus. Organizations like Apple, Google and General Mills have all implemented mindfulness programs.
As noted by the Financial Times in August 2013:
[note color=”#B6D6F0″] [General Mills] has even begun research into its efficacy, and the early results are striking. After a seven-week mindfulness courses, 83 per cent of participants said they were “taking time each day to optimize my personal productivity” – up from 23 per cent before the course. Eighty-two per cent said they now make time to eliminate tasks with limited productivity value – up from 32 per cent before the course. And among senior executives who took the course, 80 per cent reported a positive change in their ability to make better decisions, while 89 per cent said they became better listeners.[/note]Practice these activities from Contemplative Practices in Action to help develop a habit of mindfulness at home and at work.
- Anchor your day with a contemplative morning practice (e.g., Breath, Zen, yoga, etc.).
- Before entering the workplace, remind yourself of your organization’s purpose and recommit to your vocation as a leader.
- Throughout the day, pause to be fully present in the moment before undertaking the next critical task.
- Review the day’s events at the close of the day to prevent work stresses from spilling into your home life.
- Before going to bed, engage in some reading.
“By letting it go, it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try, the world is beyond winning.” – Lao Tzu
