Living through a pandemic isn’t easy, but practicing mindfulness can help A LOT. Mindfulness is getting a lot of attention in the corporate world at present because bringing mindfulness to work has some powerful benefits at both the individual and organisational levels. With our current pandemic increasing anxiety, uncertainty and playing havock with our mental health, it makes sense that we turn to mindfullnes.
Companies like Google and American express are offering mindfulness programs to employees and see that the training improves focus, enhances emotional regulation and self-control, promotes compassion, decreases stress and rumination, elevates creativity, increases resilience and generates higher levels of physical and psychological wellbeing.
There are three core elements to mindfulness:
- Cultivating awareness in the present moment – simply noticing the here and now.
- Paying deliberate attention to a single task or thought – bringing your attention to one point and being decerning about what that is.
- Continued vigilance in bringing your focus back – you mind naturally wanders, practicing means that you deliberatly recognise the wandering and refocus.
Rather than trying to schedule in a long mindfulness meditation, find creative ways to bring mindful moments to work, or your home life. Try making a cup of tea mindfully, noticing the aromas, the colours and the steam rising. Alternatively, listen completely during conversations; often our mind wanders thinking of what to say next, work towards bringing back your focus to the other person and the conversation.
Practicing mindfulness in a pandemic enables you to live consciously and intentionally and bring that heightened focus and attention to everything you do, including your work. Promoting mindfulness in your workplace will support your colleagues to slow down and become more intentional in their thoughts and actions.
