2 Research Studies That Support Mindfulness Provides Workplace Solutions

TODAY'S NEWSLETTER CONTENT:

1. Two Research Studies That Support Mindfulness Provides Workplace Solutions
2. J..K..L...MBSR - Navigating Alphabet Soup of Workplace Mindfulness My MBSR Course Experience
3. Mindful Connections

Thank you all for reading, sharing, and subscribing to The Mindfulness Connection . Welcome to the month of February and love awareness. This month we will deepen our conversation and collaboration on the research, people, and transformative power of workplace mindfulness.

Did this newsletter offer you value? If so, I'd really be grateful if you could share this with your network (or snippets!) and support the conversation with a comment or question. __________________________________________________________________________

2 Research Studies That Support Mindfulness Provides Workplace Solutions

Each week more calls come to me from leaders who are somewhere between curious and skeptical about mindfulness as a strategic business initiative. It is exciting and concerning to watch mindfulness become more accepted in the mainstream. Not all things branded mindful are actually science-based. As each leader carefully unpacks the problem they urgently need to solve I smile as I refer them to solutions that have roots in mindfulness. Keep in mind that mindfulness is not a panacea that will suddenly fix everything in your work or personal life. This said here are 2 reports I want you, the Mindfulness Connection reader to be aware of.

In the Headspace for Work 2022 Mental Health Trend Report in this study, they found 5 key trends are shaping the state of employee health in their survey of over 5,000 adults between 18-64 they found employees will continue to seek help from employers in addressing mental health issues. When not addressed these mental health problems are directly related to employee retention, engagement, and productivity. Workplace engagement is down, and burnout is on the rise.

So where do we go from here? We create a culture of working mindfully no matter what post-pandemic physical workplaces look like. It's less about who you are more about what you do as a company. What is the culture of working mindfully? In 2020 In this study Mindful Leader and Garrison Institute come together for an Un-retreat to share trends, controversies, and unanswered questions. Click here for more on their results Creating A Culture of Mindfulness At Work.

What research studies are you finding impactful? Comment here and send a link. We just may feature it in a future edition.

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J..K..L...MBSR - Navigating Alphabet Soup of Workplace Mindfulness

As workplaces wake up to the science that backs up mindfulness more people are diving into the alphabet soup that is the emerging mindfulness industry. So what is MBSR anyway? Mindfulness Bases Stress Reduction is quickly becoming one of the top most widely accepted workplace mindfulness trends. Why? Science. Starting in the basement at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in 1979 Jon Kabat Zinn began combining meditation and yoga and documenting powerful results. He found that by increasing mindfulness participants (patients) were able to reduce emotional reactivity and gain a deeper sense of calm. Now UMass Memorial Health has a full center for Mindfulness-based on this work.

As a reader and subscriber to, The Mindfulness Connection , you will quickly get to know I don't simply curate this work I live it. During the month of December, I enrolled in Mindful Leaders 8-week intensive MBSR Course. I had to see for myself if the program worked. MBSR is intense during the program. During class one we learn that MBSR is a regimented practice with daily 45 minute practices assigned each week. The first 3 weeks are daily 45-minute body scan practices, weeks 4-6, and 45-minute movement practices and the last weeks are in a sense choose your own 45 minute daily practices. In the program, I participated in we even participated in 1 full-day online mediation retreat.

As MBSR continues to be modified for a workplace the value of it for me permeates my work and company culture. As a result of these 8 weeks:

• I feel more self-aware of what is happening in my body.
• I respond to incoming questions and opportunities with greater emotional intelligence.
• Overall I feel less stressed.

If you're looking to advance mindfulness in your workplace or if you have a wellness initiative for 2022 the first question you should ask the trainer is what basis of the study is your mindfulness work based on to confirm it is secular and neuroscience-based. Then ask them what they do for their own daily mindfulness practice. If you are not satisfied with the answers call me I can help you navigate the science and alphabet soup.

If you are curious about learning more about MBSR here are a few "quick click" resources

60 Minutes on Mindfulness - Anderson Cooper & Jon Kabat-Zinn

https://mbsrtraining.com/jon-kabat-zinn/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness-based_stress_reduction

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Mindful Connections:

Sharon Salzberg: Let's just keep it simple and call her the mother of modern mindfulness with her thought leadership, teachings, and books.

Cliff Smith, Author Mindfulness Without The Bells & Beads

David Treleaven, Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness author, teacher

Don't miss our next edition of The Mindfulness Connection where I will share the top 20 must-follow leaders in the mindfulness industry. I'll be offering names, companies and products that you must know about in 2022. Do you know someone you'd like to see on this list? Send me an email [email protected] or direct message me.

Did this newsletter offer you value? If so, share this with your network (or snippets!) and support the conversation with a comment or question.

I leave you with this inspirational quote:

“If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, 
live in the moment; live in the breath."

Amit Ray        

Let's keep in touch! Connect to my work here, or on your preferred social channel with one click.

My Links:?https://hollyduckworth.com/smartlinks/