Integrating Mindfulness in the Workplace

1 Introduction

The application of mindfulness has the ability to improve mental and physical conditions such as anxiety, depression, stress, insomnia and post-traumatic stress disorder (Davidson and Kaszinak, 2015; Shameki and Bickmore, 2015). Due to its positive effects on body and mind, mindfulness practices are becoming increasingly popular to promote psychological and physical health in fields beyond its applications in medicine, one of them is the workplace (Wisner, et al., 2010; Shonin et al., 2014).

The term mindfulness is defined as a mental training of emotional and attentional regulation which involves the ability to stay focused, conscious, and present in the moment while also being attentive to yourself and others which is primarily achieved by practicing meditation (Lutz et al., 2008; Chaskalson, 2011; Irving et al., 2009).

During the presentation Integrating Mindfulness into the Workplace on June 18, 2021, I interviewed Agnes Kick, CEO of the MBSR-MBCT (mindfulness based stress reduction; mindfulness based cognitive therapy) association in Germany. This article is a shortened version of the project work handed in as part of the Case Study module taught by Jason Harman at HSBA Hamburg School of Business Administration. It transcribes some solutions for individuals and teams on how to implement mindfulness at work which were stated during the interview, as well as advice on overcoming resistance from oneself or others.

2 Integrating Mindfulness in the Workplace

2.1 Practicing Mindfulness Collectively?

“Begin every meeting with a minute of silence” (Kick, 2021).

In the beginning of a meeting everyone is hectic. Every co-worker has just arrived from another meeting, a phone call, an e-mail, a schedule or desk full of tasks. These processes continue to run in everyone’s mind, wherever they go. Often leading to a tense and disarrayed environment. In order to regain focus, a meeting could start with a collective minute of silence. The silence, which has similarities to meditation, brings the churning minds to a halt and gives everyone a chance to recognize where they are, who they are surrounded by, to arrive in the room and be present in the moment. After this collective moment of silence, the noise surrounding everyone is replaced by calmness and the newly undistracted and undistracting environment gives everyone the chance to focus on the matter of the meeting, increasing the possibility for a more efficient and effective outcome (Kick, 2021).

2.2 Practicing Mindfulness Individually?

“Use an everyday task to practice mindfulness at work” (Kick, 2021).

To start practicing mindfulness one does not have to start meditating right away. To sit still, and not actively think for several minutes can seem like quite a big task, especially if there have been little touchpoints with mindfulness practice so far. Mindfulness can be practiced during an everyday task or event. The key is to be attentive to every step, with all senses. An example could be making a coffee. This everyday task is often performed as a background activity, secondarily, en passant. Bringing mindfulness to the execution it may help to instruct every single step of the way, as reading a manual:

1. Watch the cup, as it is filled with coffee by the machine.
2. Listen to the noise the machine makes while grinding.
3. If cream is added, watch the dark brown color slowly changing into lighter tones.
4. Take your coffee to a calm environment.
5. Smell it before taking the first sip.
6. Take a small sip and follow its path through the body.
7. Notice each time the cup is lifted, set back on the table, or held in hand.
8. Don't rush and don't look at any screens, make any phone calls or write e-mails.

What seems like a detailed manual for a simple task clarifies how much effort it takes to stay focused on just one task at a time. The urge to check e-mails on a smartphone will probably be there even during the first step. Mindfulness practice is wisely worded, it really does need exercise not to get distracted or distract oneself (Kick, 2021).

2.3 Practicing Mindfulness via an MBSR Program?

"I have downloaded all the meditation apps, I even paid for them, so I will stay on track. I tried,?but I just cannot follow through with practicing mindfulness. What can I do in this case?" (Student 1, 2021).

Was one of the questions raised by a listener during the discussion after the interview. The advice which followed this question was to look for and then enter an MBSR program nearby (Kick, 2021).

At this point it makes sense to introduce the specifics of Agnes Kick's work. She is the CEO of the MBSR - MBCT Organization in Germany, a non-profit association of mindfulness instructors which has developed comprehensive quality standards and ethics guidelines for the training and continuing education of mindfulness teachers. She also consults employers and organizations, as well as private individuals on the integration and practice of mindfulness at work or personal environments (MBSR-MBCT Verband e.V., 2021).

MBSR is an eight-week mindfulness training program developed in the 1970s by molecular biologist Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University Hospital in Worcester, Massachusetts (USA). It combines meditative exercises in rest and movement with approaches from modern psychology and stress research. Through body awareness exercises,?participants of a MBSR course practice concentration and attention. Elements of yoga are also incorporated. The goal is to transfer a mindful attitude into private and professional everyday life and thus to be able to deal with stress as well as stressful thoughts and feelings more calmly. One of the key elements is to learn to accept what is perceived in the moment without judging it (Techniker Krankenkasse, 2021).

2.4 Overcoming Challenges of Mindfulness Implementation

2.4.1 Possible Resistance from an Employer

"What if you confront your employer about mindfulness practice and they take it as a sign of weakness, that you are overwhelmed with your workload?" (Student 2, 2021).

When speaking about the change of her work during the last couple of years Agnes states that in the past company executives did not have the same attitude towards the subject of mindfulness practice as they have now.?As the research of personal and company benefits have become more apparat?and the scientific field has expanded, the upper management levels have not only opened up to practicing mindfulness but have developed an interest in the subject. If that has not been the case with a specific superior, there is a lot of scientific studies supporting the benefits, which can help make an argument for mindfulness as a proactive measure instead of deriving from a shortcoming (Kick, 2021).

2.4.2 Apparent Incompatibility with the Work Role

"If you are working in a consulting position where you need to make yourself available at all times, how would you suggest the integration of mindfulness is possible here?" (Student 3, 2021).

In the everyday work life, one is often available via multiple channels, e.g. e-mail, Whatsapp, Slack, an office phone, a mobile phone, Teams or Zoom, etc. In addition, in an office environment someone may also knock on your door or walk up to your desk to get a quick answer to a question. To stay focused it is essential not to multitask. Turing off notifications is a first step. Also, the company internal calendar system may be used to notify co-workers about available timeslots for a face-to-face meeting.

“A scenario that may occur often, is someone walking into your office to ask a question while you are writing an important e-mail. Instead of stopping to answer the question, ask if it is important now or if the subject can wait and the person can book an appointment in the calendar” (Kick, 2021).

An approach like this has several benefits. The first one being, saving time and energy because the focus on the e-mail is not lost and therefore does not have to be regained several times. Secondly, the answer to the question will also be of higher quality if there is time to completely understand the topic and context of it. Not to enter several conversations and tasks at once and not to let go of the focus on one task is one way to integrate a mindful management into the work life (Kick, 2021).

3 Research on Mindfulness Practice

The figure above visualizes the effects of meditation on the brain. The here shown amygdala forms the core of the neural system in the brain and is responsible for processing fearful and threatening stimuli, inducing body response's, e.g. increasing heart rate and respiration (Baxter, 2012).

Ga?lle Desbordes, instructor in radiology at Harvard Medical School, recorded the brain activity of participants in a study of hers before (left) and after (right) they have undergone an eight-week meditation program. The brain activity after eight weeks of meditation held steady as the participants were shown images with emotional content even if they were not meditating at the time the scan was taken (Powell, 2018).

Numerous studies prove the health-promoting, stress-reducing, and quality-of-life-increasing effect of MBSR used successfully worldwide in the health sector, in educational and social institutions, and in companies. In most cases, blood pressure and the arousal of the autonomic nervous system decrease. Body and mind calm down. At the same time, one perceives thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations better. ?Because its effectiveness is scientifically proven MBSR is recognized by all German health insurance companies as a prevention concept and is often subsidized (MBSR-MBCT Verband e.V., 2021).

4 Limitations

Mindfulness practice is suited for all people who are looking for effective ways of coping with stress in their daily lives, who are suffering from psychological, psychosomatic, or physical complaints and want to make an active contribution to maintaining their inner balance and health. ?

An everyday task may lower the barriers to begin the practice of mindfulness. However, the research on the medical advantages, such as lowered blood pressure and lower stress levels, are limited to the guided eight-week practice of meditation. Also, if the threshold to a serious mental health concern, such as burnout has been exceeded, mindfulness practice does not replace medical attention.

In case there is an interest in reading the full report including more distinctive results on company benefits, as well as medical research regarding mindfulness practice, e-mail: [email protected].

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