The need for mindfulness in business is obvious. Working environments have changed dramatically over the past few decades. Where once ‘incoming’ meant the arrival of the days’ postal mail, incoming now represents a multi-platform multi-faceted onslaught on the senses – every single second.
Outlook email, with its never-ending pop-ups and reminders, instant messaging, landlines, cell phones, smart watches, social media, live video streaming – the list is endless. Things need to be done, and they need to be done now. Greater numbers of communications channels have only served to increase distraction and procrastination, which leads to stress.
Then of course, we are human, so we think about the human stuff too. Whats for dinner tonight? Did the car-loan payment post? Did mom pick the toddler up from childcare? All of this of course is continually made all the more intensive by feelings of career self-doubt, or worse still, career self-importance.
Computers and networks were meant to make all of this easier. Remember the promise of a paperless office? Well, there is still paper. Lots of it. But that’s not all. In a more connected, real time business environment, financially sound, ethical, fair and confident decisions are demanded in the blink of an eye. Multi-tasking is a must, but it is sending stress levels through the roof. How can each individual task be completed amid so much interruption and noise? And under so much pressure? Step forward mindfulness.
Mindfulness in its purest form, is the way in which we ensure that we are in the moment – right in this moment. Whatever task is at hand is being given the full attention it demands and deserves. Think of mindfulness as the teacher who claps their hands to bring the students to full attention. Mindfulness is the ability to be that noisy clapping, disciplinarian teacher, within your own mind.
Business-tailored mindfulness is essentially an extrapolation of core elements from eastern philosophies, with the theological references stripped out. What is left is an awareness of the here and now, achievable through focus on breath. It is so simple that many people miss it. Some even say they are too busy to try. Oh the irony.
Mindfulness is not just driving a happier more productive workplace. It is hammering home an impact on the bottom line, and bottom line people are loving it. Mindfulness reduces healthcare costs, lowers absenteeism, reduces micro-management hours, increases performance and efficiency, and sends employees home minus the age old Friday evening burn out. When employees get home without the mental fatigue and tiredness of a stress-filled office still lingering on their mind into the weekend, they have energy and focus to go off and fully relax with families and friends. And this in turn means they come back refreshed on a Monday morning. It’s a win win situation. And all through something as simple as breath. It’s the simple things that make the biggest impact.
In8 Motivation offers in-house Mindfulness training and workshops to corporates and individuals in New York City and Ireland.