30% of our lives are spent working. So it’s a good idea to try and make the best time possible whilst we’re there. Work is a happier place to be if we feel that our work is purposeful, that others value our contribution and there is good camaraderie between co-workers. Workplace culture can make or break our experience of working life and our chances of stress-related illness, so it is something that requires on-going attention. This is where office mindfulness comes in.
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a practice of awareness, from moment to moment, of what is going on inside and around us. Mindfulness helps us to observe our own feelings and choose how to respond.
Getting caught up in the daily grind can mean forgetting to notice the little things which make life worth living. Mindfulness brings our attention back to the things that matter. When experiencing an unpleasant feeling or situation, mindfulness enables us to avoid knee-jerk reactions and negative self-talk. It helps us to take a step back, consider what is going on within ourselves and for anyone else involved, and then decide the best move going forward.
How is Mindfulness at Work useful?
- Working relationships. Considering the needs of others, as well as having our own needs recognised can transform how we feel in a team.
- Leadership. Driven by not just by targets but by what brings out the best in people. For example, utilising clear roles and boundaries, being appreciated and treated with respect.
- Hiring and firing. Prevent wasting talent by making employees feel comfortable and motivated.
- Stress. When people take their workplace stress home, it affects their personal relationships. Then, they come into work worrying about their home life. It is a downward spiral that is easily preventable. Mindfulness techniques can be applied at home and work to keep stress under control.
- Sick leave. Sick leave accounts for 40% of all work-related illness. In 2014-2015, 440,000 people in the UK reported work-related stress at a level they believed was making them ill. A simple daily practice to reduce stress makes a lot of sense
- Loyalty. Happy employees stay put and deliver more. It is worth taking care of how their wellbeing.
- Performance.–A small amount of stress enhances performance. But chronic, unmanageable stress reduces vitality and effectiveness in all areas of life. Mindfulness studies have shown that when people are equipped with the environment and tools to maintain a positive mindset, performance improves
- Productivity. People who practise mindfulness are more creative. They also have a better memory and increased concentration levels.
- Profit. As a direct result of productivity, performance, low staff turnover, low sick leave, nurturing talent, positive leadership and coherent team dynamics, profit has been shown to increase in companies where mindfulness is part of the culture.
There are some fine examples of thriving companies which have adopted mindfulness for workplace wellbeing – Google, Toyota, Facebook, Intel, Goldman Sachs to name a few. To experience these advantages in your company, start with a workshop tailored for your staff and managers, where they will learn to apply mindfulness in their everyday work.
By Pippa Moye – Therapist, Coach & Mindfulness Teacher
