8 Reasons to practice mindfulness

Over the years I have struggled to practice mindfulness effectively. My mind, like so many others, is just too good at wandering.[1] It is easily distracted by the metaphorical shiny object, and sometimes I get too attached to a specific thought or emotion. I forget to let it go.

At the same time, I know that when I am able to be mindful, it pays dividends. Not all the time and mindfulness is not the answer to all problems - indeed sometimes MINDLESSNESS is the answer (see our next article to find out more [2]) - but a little mindfulness at the right time in the right amount can transform a problem into an opportunity or an argument into a learning moment. At work I have learned that mindfulness has its moments too. But as someone for whom mindfulness has not always been easy, who am I to advise others.

So I decided ask others what THEY think about mindfulness in the workplace.

I posed these two questions to my network:

How important is mindfulness to you in the workplace? Could you elaborate on one way it helps you?

The responses were swift and many. Here are some of our favorites. From growing your active listening skills to having increased awareness, there are several benefits below that may illuminate why businesses would benefit from encouraging a mindful office.?

Here are eight positive results from practicing mindfulness in the workplace:

• Grows Your Active Listening Skills
• Encourages More Thoughtful Decisions
• Reduces Stress and Enhances Workplace Energy
• Enhances Creativity
• Helps Fix Issues Swiftly
• Improves in Staff Relationships
• Anchors You in the Present
• Increases Awareness

Grows Your Active Listening Skills

Mindfulness helps me to be fully engaged in the present moment. I find it especially useful when listening to others in my private life and workplace.

It’s easy to get distracted by many things going on around you. That’s why it’s crucial to devote your full attention to the person you’re speaking with and practice active listening. But how does mindfulness help you with that? We’re often busy at work and make assumptions about other people’s viewpoints or behaviors.?

Mindfulness allows you to engage in a conversation and listen without judgment. You take the person and what they’re saying as they are, without trying to change it. Your role is to listen, accept things the way they are, and resist an abrupt reaction.

I’ve observed that mindfulness has also helped me to take time to think before I act. Thanks to that approach, I can react calmly to different situations and avoid saying something in the heat of the moment.

Dorota Lysienia , Community Manager, LiveCareer

Encourages More Thoughtful Decisions

I always strive to make mindful decisions and to be present and alert to the consequences of those decisions. With that said, however, I also try not to allow a fear of making the wrong decision to paralyze me.?

Mindfulness has helped me understand that the worst thing that can happen if I make a wrong decision is that I’ll be forced to make yet another one later. As long as I try my best to make good decisions, I can rely on the fact that things will turn out for the best.

Being thoughtful about consequences has helped me navigate through some troubled waters. In the past, I may have been too quick to decide, or I may have made the wrong decision.?

Now, I am better able to understand the potential ramifications of my actions, and I am more mindful of the potential impact my decisions may have on others. Mindfulness has helped me make better choices, and it has also helped me to accept the consequences of my actions, both good and bad.

Matthew Ramirez , CEO, Rephrasely

Reduces Stress and Enhances Workplace Energy

As a mental health professional, I can never overstate the importance of mindfulness in the workplace.?

Practicing it myself and encouraging others in my workforce to do the same, a mindful approach has helped us create a stress-free work environment, resulting in positive vibes that immediately pass on to our clientele.?

We now boast of a workplace energy that is focused and free from anxiety, and even in the presence of challenges, our team remains solution-oriented and positive.?

When employees and leaders are mentally healthy and rejuvenated, it shows in their performance and productivity and invariably results in happy customers and a successful business.

Azmaira Maker , Founding Director, Aspiring Families

Enhances Creativity

One benefit of mindfulness that I've experienced at work is enhanced creativity.?

When we take the time to pay attention to our thoughts and feelings, we can more easily identify patterns and find new ways of doing things. For me, this has been especially helpful when working on projects that require a lot of brainstorming.?

By taking a step back from my busy mind and observing my thoughts dispassionately, I've been able to come up with some truly original ideas. So if you're looking for a way to boost your creativity at work, mindfulness may be worth exploring.

Lorien Strydom , Executive Country Manager, Financer.com

Helps Fix Issues Swiftly

Mindfulness helps me to be more present in the moment and in my immediate work. When I was more prone to worry, my mind was too cluttered for problem-solving and brainstorming. My headspace was a constant stream of anxiety on repeat, and that noise drowned out any other workable ideas.?

After learning how to clear my mind and stay in the moment, great ideas and solutions cropped up randomly and naturally, even when I wasn't expressly thinking about them.?

These occurrences helped me fix issues more swiftly and less stressfully and helped to fuel the cycle of presentness and calm.

Michael Alexis , CEO, Tiny Campfire

Improves Staff Relationships

Mindfulness in the workplace entails being aware and mindful of your actions so that the outcome is as positive and acceptable as possible.?

As the landscape of doing business changes, organizations are shifting from valuing the staff as production assets into knowledgeable assets. Mindfulness comes into play in this new era; we accomplish nothing without harmony.?

Mindfulness at work ensures that everyone is on good terms with one another. This fosters a culture of collaboration and cares where everyone is considerate of the tasks of their colleagues. This culture results in efficiency in production output.

Yongming Song , CEO, Live Poll for Slides

Anchors You in the Present

In my opinion, practicing mindfulness and choosing to remain calm and focused even in difficult circumstances truly distinguishes a regular employee from a leader.

In this fast-paced professional world, mindfulness allows you to maintain low-stress levels while improving decision-making capabilities and allowing for optimal crisis management. Decreased mental stress levels also lead to better physical health and contribute to maintaining outstanding work efficiency.

My job requires me to lead from the front lines, and being under pressure is just another Tuesday. Mindfulness has taught me to center myself and stay focused in the present regardless of work stress and anxiety. I believe this has made me hardier and able to withstand crunch hours, which is the norm within the web development industry.

Alan Carr , Director, Webpop Design

Increases Awareness

A mindful approach at work helps me identify challenges more vividly and also enables me to zero in on opportunities with added clarity.?

This increased awareness at the workplace is possible only because I can now train my mind to be more focused and positive at work to see things others may have missed and think of solutions even as others remain occupied with problems.?

Deadlines do not scare me as much as they used to because I now concentrate on lining up efforts rather than dreading timelines. Even when I’m up against extraordinary challenges, I find myself energized and motivated instead of feeling overwhelmed.

Ashley DeJesus , Marketing Manager, AIS Network

FOR PROJECT MANAGERS

If you are a #projectmanager who wants to know more about practicing mindfulness, check out the #LinkedInLearning course that is available FREE to all professional and corporate members of LinkedIn . Access it here:

And look out for the updates to this course next year (2023) when we will explore when and how MINDLESSNESS works too.

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In addition to #projectmanagement , and #Linkedinlearning instructor, Ruth Pearce is a coach and speaker. Interested in working with her?

Book a chemistry call here: Ruth Pearce Calendar

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Notes

[1] to read more about how we are wired to wander check out this article:

[2] Check out the mindlessness post here

[3] to learn more about the joys of mindlessness read this article from Scientific American