BLOG WRITTEN BY FASTRACKTOREFOCUS.
It’s already September and we are recharged with energy, with clarity of the things that are important in our lives, with the desire to focus on those projects that we put aside a long time ago, to get in shape…
And we say to ourselves: “Yes, this time it’s going to happen”.
However, after a few weeks, and sometimes days, as soon as we start working, we find ourselves in the same loop we were in before the holidays or sometimes even worse.
We are back to being overloaded with information, with multiple distractions, lack of focus and no time to dedicate to those things and projects that are important to us personally and professionally.
And we need to be aware, that this situation, due to the fast moving digital age, is only going to increase. And it is up to you to be aware and develop skills to manage it.
And mindfulness – mindful presence – is an essential skill for any professional today.
How we control and channel our emotions has a powerful impact on our personal and professional lives. Negative emotions have the ability to cause stress and anxiety and divert energy away from productive activities or behaviours. By practising mindfulness at work and also at home, you will be better equipped to recognise negative emotions and handle them in healthier, less stressful ways. We will look at what is mindfulness and why it is so important to incorporate into our lives.
So what is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is moment-to-moment awareness. Originally a Buddhist concept, the basic philosophy of mindfulness is self-awareness. Mindfulness establishes a heightened sense of awareness of yourself and your environment. You are very aware of your thoughts and feelings, but you do not react or judge them. You become free from your tendency to have a quick emotional response.
Mindfulness enhances emotional intelligence and equips us with the ability to manage our emotions internally and externally. Mindfulness and its impact on stress is also linked to a number of physiological benefits including lower blood pressure, improved memory, and reduced depression and anxiety.
Why is mindfulness important in the workplace?
Practicing mindfulness not only has physiological benefits for individuals but also has a positive impact on their workplace. Mindfulness helps drives many aspects of a healthy workplace including wellbeing, relationships, and creativity.
Mindfulness in the workplace
Wellbeing
Organisations are becoming more invested in the wellbeing of employees due to an increased awareness of the costs associated with an unhealthy workforce. Absenteeism, presentism, turnover, and a lack of productivity are all very costly issues that are closely tied to employee stress and mental health. The number of sick days lost to serious mental health issues has doubled in the past decade and mental health is the leading cause of sickness-related absences.
Resilience and the ability to deal with difficult situations are critical to wellbeing. During stressful periods, employees with high levels of resilience will be able to persevere and remain engaged and productive. Mindfulness at work can support
resilience by equipping employees with the ability to understand their emotions, their level of stress, and their ability to influence them.
Mindfulness training enables employees to respond to difficult situations effectively and has been shown to have a positive effect on burnout, wellbeing, and stress. Other research has shown that employees who practice mindfulness have higher levels of well-being through improved emotional resilience, better work-life balance, and higher job performance ratings.
Mindfulness and relationships in the workplace
Relationships
Healthy working relationships are a cornerstone of employee happiness at work. Positive working relationships yield more productive teams, altruistic behaviour, and ultimately increased productivity. Many studies have shown a clear link between mindfulness and improved workplace relationships. The link between these two also extends beyond the workplace to more satisfying personal relationships and increased empathy and sympathy when interacting with others.
Developing strong workplace relationships is particularly important for organisational leaders. Leaders need to develop the capacity to acknowledge their thoughts and environment so that they can present an informed response as opposed to an emotional reaction. This is particularly important during times of change or stress.
One study that measured the relationship between a leader’s mindfulness and employee wellbeing found that increased levels of mindfulness reduced employee stress, increased work-life balance, improved performance, and enhanced engagement.
Mindfulness and creativity workplace
Creativity
Creativity is essential for innovation and problem-solving. Without creativity, new products and services will not be developed and processes will not improve. There is evidence to support a relationship between mindfulness and creativity. When people are in better control of their emotions, they experience less stress and can be more creative. Mindfulness can assist in creative thinking by providing increased focus, greater idea generation, and improved receptiveness to new ideas.
As Harvard says ” Mindfulness is a vital skill for any professional who works in a stressful environment, wants to achieve better results and improve their quality of life”.
I have personally seen the benefits of introducing mindful presence, which no one teaches us as part of leadership, into the day-to-day lives of the leaders and entrepreneurs I work with.
On 9 September, I have organised a webinar (in Spanish) in which I will explain
- How to be present and eliminate distractions.
- How to find clarity and focus in your life and professional projects.
- How to make your last months of the year full after so much turbulence.
REGISTER HERE
All the best
Founder www.FastrackTorefocus.com | Corporate and Executive Coach|Career Coach |Consultant|Lecturer| Author |Mindfulness Master
00 44 (0) 7448947145
