Talk to MagieAnd as we turn the page on a wonderfully exciting year of developing a growth mindset, setting achievable goals and building our resilience, I would love to dive into this new year talking about perhaps my favorite skill that everyone — leader, team member, entrepreneur, quite literally everyone — can find inner strength and wisdom within: mindfulness.I remember when I first started consistently posting blogs, mindfulness practice always took the forefront of my subjects.If you’ve been a frequent reader you can see how it somehow has always remained the backbone of much of my pieces. I’d like to say that this was intentional, but if I’m being honest, mindfulness is so critical to every wellness practice I champion that it fed into almost every topic without me even realizing it.And if you’re new here, welcome and Happy New Year — I’d love to begin this new year talking about this critical foundation of mindfulness and how its role in the workplace is indispensable for starting and maintaining strong relationships, and improving productivity without driving us headfirst into burnout.
What is Mindfulness in the Workplace?
Definition of Mindfulness
Mindfulness at its core is the practice of being present and aware of one’s thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations in the present moment. It involves paying attention to the present moment without judgment or distraction.
For example, a tried and true beginning exercise for trying mindfulness would be something like aFull Body Scan mindfulness meditation :
Find a comfortable sitting or standing position.
Begin by drawing your attention to the sensations of your toes and feet.
Move upwards from the feet to your legs, knees, thighs and pelvis.
Continue to move your attention towards your abdomen, stomach, ribcage, torso, and spine.
Move through the shoulders, wrists, hands and arms.
Finish up the neck and to the top of your head.
Simply observe how each body part “feels” without judgment, and tap into/focus on those physical sensations with intention.
Exercises like these serve to ground us in the present moment and tune out the distractions that may keep us in a state of worry or stress. It gives us a greater sense of control and a deeper connection to our emotions such that we are better equipped to manage stress that may occur while in the workplace.And if this doesn’t come easy to you at first, please don’t worry. Mindfulness is a natural human capacity that can be developed through practice and training.
Brief History of Mindfulness in the Workplace
Mindfulness has a history spanning centuries, especially in ancient Eastern spiritual teachings, with the term itself coming from the Buddhist idea of “Sati,” which has to do with intentional awareness of the present.As “Sati,” does not have a directly equivalent English translation, the close-ish term, “mindfulness” was coined in 1881 by Thomas William Rhys Davids, a British scholar and magistrate working in what is now modern-day Sri Lanka (then called Ceylon).Since then, the way we’ve come to think of mindfulness has evolved relatively little in principle, but its applications to different areas of modern life have developed, substantially.The idea of practicing mindfulness in a workplace setting originally began with its use as a therapeutic tool for clinical patients in hospital and mental health facility settings — since then, its use in broader business contexts has seen measurableimpacts on performance, physical health, and mental wellbeing in high-stress industries. Mindfulness based stress reduction has been shown to have numerous benefits for employees and organizations across a wide range of measurements, including reduced workplace stress and improved overall productivity.According to Harvard Business Review,over half of all employers in the United States offer some form of mindfulness meditation training to their employees, with mindfulness research finding that companies that incorporate mindfulness see powerful changes in employee wellbeing, engagement, and efficiency.
Benefits of Mindfulness Training
Improved Social Relationships
Mindful employees that strive to maintain present moment awareness tend to reap numerous benefits and positive outcomes that improve their relationships, including being better listeners, more empathic, and less quick to anger.In general, mindfulness practice fosters a mental state that can remain calm in the face of pressure, a critical personality trait that improves communication and team cohesion. Employee wellbeing is directly tied to the quality of their workplace relationships, and in many ways, an organization functions optimally when the level of positive social relationships are high.
Enhanced Task Performance
Mindfulness practice can improve focus and concentration, leading to increased productivity overall. The process of taking a few deep breaths and exercising greater control over our attention is a valuable skill when we encounter tasks that require directed focus.In addition, jobs that require a great deal of emotional investment such as clinical psychology, healthcare, and law may benefit from their employees engaging in a dedicated mindfulness program. Mindfulness training can help reduce rumination and improve emotional regulation, both critical skills to have when encountering highly emotional content as a function of one’s job.
Reduced Stress and Burnout
Mindfulness practice can reduce stress and anxiety in the workplace, especially if you are in a high-pressure position that requires frequent engagement. The stress responses produces high levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) in response to negative emotions including burnout; mindfulness training is a helpful tool for regaining physiological control and lowering the amount of stress your body responds with.Mindfulness meditation is a fabulous tool for checking in with yourself, and that alone is a powerful guard against burnout. Simply pausing, noticing, not judging, and giving ourselves a few moments to return to baseline either through a few deep breaths or a longer body scan is sometimes all we need to reinvigorate our spirits.
Implementing Mindfulness Practices in the Workplace
The Role of Leadership
Leaders play a critical role in implementing mindfulness practices in the workplace because great leaders always lead by example. Mindful leaders set the tone for more workplace mindfulness throughout their organizations, and empower their employees to engage in more mindful moments independently.
Leaders can model mindfulness behaviors and encourage employees to practice mindfulness on their own using different avenues, such as:
Begin meetings with a short moment of silence or grounding to allow everyone to center themselves and stay fully present.
Share their own mindfulness journey or techniques that help them stay focused, like taking deep breaths before making important decisions.
Promote self-care, mindful work, and presence as values within their teams. Mindful leaders should always employees that it’s okay to take a pause when stress rears its ugly head.
Creating a Mindful Workspace
Creating a mindful workspace means to facilitate a working environment that aids in promoting calm, peace, and balance. It can involve making strong choices in decor like incorporating plants, natural scenes, and water fountains.
Creating a mindful workspace can involve reducing distractions and improving overall work environment, but it can also look like:
Meditation or relaxation areas where employees can reset, practice mindfulness, or just temporarily disengage during breaks.
Workshops, meditation sessions, or guided breathing exercises to introduce mindfulness practice.
Stepping away from work for short “mindful moments,” such as walking outside, taking a deep breath, or simply letting our minds wander without judgment.
Create space for uninterrupted focus time, free from excessive notifications or meetings.
Starting Small and Being Patient
Starting small and being patient is key to implementing mindfulness practices in the workplace, especially because mindfulness training takes some time for most people. Some folks have an innate talent at disengaging and bringing their attention to the present moment, but most of us need a bit of practice with it, first.
Starting small can involve gradually increasing the scope and scale of mindfulness programs or mindfulness practice, such as:
Begin or end meetings with a minute of focused breathing to clear distractions and set a positive tone.
Incorporate gratitude practices to help employees reflect on positive moments, reducing stress and fostering optimism.
Before responding to an email or addressing a challenge, take a short pause to collect your thoughts.
Conclusion
I cannot overstate the importance of mindfulness, but it isn’t a quick fix. Rather, its long-term impact on workplace productivity and relationships is undeniable.By leading with intention, creating a supportive environment, and encouraging small, consistent practices, we bring ourselves one step closer towards building a mindful culture where individuals thrive both professionally, personally, and spiritually.And you don’t just have to take my word for it; try it for yourself, today—pause, take a few deep breaths, and choose to bring your attention towards your present moment. As a mindful state takes root, the benefits will ripple across your team, fostering clarity, focus, and stronger connections.
