Message From Julie: Why Mindfulness Matters at Work and Three Ways to Cultivate It
Google, Nike, Intel, Target, General Mills and Apple. What do these companies all have in common? They have implemented some form of mindfulness programs for employees.
What exactly is mindfulness and why have these employers as well as many others embraced it?
Susan Kaiser Greenland defines mindfulness as “noticing where your mind is and knowing your state of mind in real time”. Another popular definition from Jon Kabat-Zin is “to be in the moment without judgement.”
Mindfulness and meditation are not the same thing. While mindfulness is necessary to the practice of meditation and meditation helps us be more mindful in our everyday lives, becoming more mindful does not require that we spend weeks or months meditating on a mountain top or even that we practice meditation.
What mindfulness does require is that we regularly focus our attention on the present moment and observe what is going on – both inside and outside ourselves – with judgement temporarily suspended.
Numerous studies, including ones by the companies listed above have found that the benefits of mindfulness include:
- Improved productivity
- Higher quality interpersonal interactions
- More informed decision making
- Increased engagement
- Higher levels of emotional intelligence
- Greater resilience to stress
- Improved ability to defuse negative emotions
- Greater clarity, focus and creativity
- The ability to delay gratification
All of which have a positive impact on a company’s bottom line as well as on our happiness and well-being.
Here are three steps to begin cultivating mindfulness in your everyday life.
- Settle your glitter. Greenland likens our minds to a clear ball filled with glitter. When the ball is shaken and the glitter disperses throughout the ball it is difficult to see through it. When our minds are filled with a multitude of competing thoughts, negative emotions, or anxiety we cannot see through the clutter or think clearly. Being mindful requires that we allow our minds to settle, much like the glitter settles to the bottom of the ball when it is held motionless. Watch this short video to more clearly understand the power of this metaphor and how to use it to increase mindfulness in your life.
- Cultivate Curiosity. Begin by regularly spending time in nature. In one study researchers found that spending time outside focusing on nature led to a state of awe that promoted both curiosity and purpose while potentially reducing inflammation and cortisol levels.
- Acknowledge and label your emotions. Unconscious emotions alter our perceptions and prevent us from being mindful. The part of your brain that processes emotions does not have language. By labeling the emotion we allow our prefrontal cortex or “thinking” brain to regain control of the situation. It therefore allows us to thoughtfully act rather than react. While it is important to acknowledge negative emotions the trick is to not get stuck in those emotions. So after you acknowledge your negative emotions, follow that acknowledgement by identifying three positives in your life, three things that are going well or three things for which you are grateful.
If you don’t work for Google, Aetna, Intel, Target, General Mills, Apple or another company that offers mindfulness programs, make a commitment to yourself to begin practicing on your own. One of my favorite practices is focusing on breathing. Pick an amount of time you are willing and able to spend each day, even if it is only a minute and pair it with an activity you already do every day like brushing your teeth or turning out the light at night.
“The path to wisdom comes from being present.” – Susan Kaiser Greenland
