What is Workplace Mindfulness?
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Mindfulness has always been a very important life practice but is especially important in times like today. We are collectively scarred from the pandemic, whilst war is happening around the world and mental health issues are as prevalent as ever before.
You may hear the phrase ‘Workplace Mindfulness’ used often and wonder what it really means.
Mindfulness in the workplace is vital to a flourishing and productive work environment. Your awareness of your surroundings and your ability to be resilient, whether employer or employee, is not only highly beneficial but ESSENTIAL to a healthy workplace. With the right training, you can be aware of how your own mind operates, and in turn be more in tune with yourself, your work, and your surroundings.
“Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it.” – Eckhart Tolle
What are some of the benefits of workplace mindfulness?
1. Increased creativity
For example, numerous studies by Ravi Kudesia have concluded that increased mental state and self-awareness have a positive impact on an individual’s creativity. Nurturing your mind and being in control of your emotions more can free up space for the creative process to flow freely, as well as a massive increase in focus, receptiveness, and creative thinking.
Encouraging more creativity within the workplace via mindfulness practices can aid businesses in many ways, such as offering innovative solutions to problems and encouraging people to try new approaches to work and challenges. These sorts of things not only make work more fun but allow people to use their brains more and give more chances for your business to stand out and be different from others.
2. Decreased Stress
Stress is a major issue in society, especially in the working world. Feelings of anxiety, irritability, depression, and fatigue are often present in today’s workplaces. In most cases, the classic narrative is that work is stressful, people don’t want to do it and that waiting for the end of the workday is what is on a lot of people’s minds 5 days a week.
Introducing workplace mindfulness alongside helping the development of yourself and others' mental state of well-being can be incredibly beneficial in decreasing the feelings of angst and stress, reducing burnout and increasing productivity. And most important of all, leading to…
3. Increased happiness and wellbeing
There is of course no need for an explanation as to why increased happiness is a good thing. The happier someone is affects all aspects of their life, including work. A happy person AT work is a person that will be happy TO work and having those positive vibes around the workplace will only lead to great things.
Currently, mental health issues are a serious issue in the world. So much so that sick days at work are mostly due to a mental health-related issue. Introducing mindfulness more in your life is vital to a happy, healthy relationship with yourself and others, inside and outside of the workplace.
4. Stronger relationships
Humans are naturally pack animals. We work better together and need relationships to thrive, and this is no different at work. Developing and maintaining positive relationships with your peers will lead to increases in productivity, creativity, and work output, as well as helping lead to better mental health and emotional wellbeing. Healthy, strong work relationships are of the utmost importance in the workplace. Mindfulness can provide more empathetic and sympathetic attributes in individuals, in turn producing more altruistic teams.
Mindfulness is crucial to someone's well-being. If a person is not present within themselves they will not be present in their work, which is why practicing workplace mindfulness is of the utmost importance. Working with a mindfulness coach such as myself will allow you to discover clarity within, whilst developing the skills necessary to manage the uncertainty that impacts your life and therefore the lives of those at work around you.
How can we help?
Here at Fortem Coaching, we teach Workplace Mindfulness & Resilience techniques and skills in our sessions that can transform you and your team. For more information, click below and get in touch.