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Mindfulness Meditation in the Workplace

  • Writer: Patricia Faust
    Patricia Faust
  • Mar 5, 2020
  • 4 min read


The Impact of Extreme Stress in the Workplace

The workplace is a novel and complex environment and our brains love it. Except - when we are too stressed out to think clearly. Corporations spend 60% of their after-tax profits on healthcare for their employees. This is a direct result of workplace stress. Stress causes havoc within our bodies and brains. It can be directly responsible for high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, lower immune function, and psychological disorders. The leading causes of workplace stress include:

· Low salaries

· Heavy workload

· Lack of opportunities

· Uncertain job expectations

· Long hours (Francis,C. 2013)


The impact on the bottom line comes down to these assumptions:

· Stressed out employees generally are less productive.

· Stress leads to poor health and greater healthcare expenditures.

· There is less cooperation and teamwork leading to greater inefficiency.

· More interpersonal conflicts among employees which is counterproductive.

· Stress leads to poor communication, which then leads to inefficiency.

· Stressed out employees are more preoccupied with their personal problems than the company’s objectives.

· Stressed out employees aren’t capable of seeing the bigger picture (i.e. company goals).

(Francis, C. 2013)


Does this resonate with you? I know I have worked in this type of environment. It is brutal to go through day after day with this stress weighing you down. The ultimate result is burnout. No one wins in this environment. If we want to contain healthcare expenditures, we need to live healthier lifestyles by reducing stress levels.


Mindfulness Meditation Can Make a Difference

Companies cannot afford to assume these losses consistently. Wellness programs are designed to measure physical indicators of chronic disease health problems. They are able to counsel employees and put together action plans for a healthy lifestyle. Although wellness programs can save healthcare dollars there is a problem with employee engagement. These programs can actually turn out to be another source of stress. Wellness programs still don’t address the initial cause of workplace chronic disease because they don’t address the stress component of the workplace. However, when a mindfulness meditation program is integrated into the workplace culture, there is a chance of reducing stress levels on an individual basis. The employee can learn to be resilient in the face of stress. A mindfulness meditation practice has the ability to:

· Lower stress

· Improve immune system function

· Live a healthier lifestyle

· Improve cognitive abilities

(The Mindfulness Meditation Institute)


The Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation

Incorporating mindfulness meditation training into organizational development strategies will pay off in numerous ways including employee performance.


Employees practicing mindfulness meditation will have:

· Increased ability to cope with stress and be more resilient to workplace pressures


· Increased ability to focus - a core element of mindful practice is training for concentration


· Improved cognitive abilities – think with a clear mind which can lead to greater complex problem solving and decision-making capabilities


· Better communication skills – deep listening and mindful speech will improve communication


· Greater systems thinking – employees are able to understand wider implications of their actions; an understanding that things are interconnected


· Improved self-confidence – through greater self-awareness employees will discover their true potential


· More effective leadership – they will become people with the necessary skills and integrity to take on more responsibility


The Harvard Business Review recently added a couple more benefits to a mindfulness program.


1. Mindfulness helps to build resilience; decreases the effects of anxiety and stress.


2. Mindfulness can strengthen emotional intelligence. It helps to improve our levels of patience and ability to regulate our emotions. An inner sense of calm makes it easier for us to cope when things don’t go our way.


3. Mindfulness promotes creativity. Mindfulness enables greater insights and more out-of-the-box innovative thinking.


4. Mindfulness enhances personal relationships. Practicing mindful techniques including meditation, makes us a bit more tolerant and compassionate.


5. Mindfulness helps you focus. Mindfulness with its emphasis of staying in the moment helps us to stay more focused and improves our ability to concentrate.


The Challenges of Introducing Mindfulness into the Workplace

Just to be clear, there are many benefits of mindfulness but there are also some challenges to integrating it into the workplace. The following are some of the pitfalls of practicing mindfulness meditation.


- Mindfulness should be voluntary. Employees shouldn’t feel pressured to practice if mindfulness doesn’t work for them.


- Mindfulness isn’t a productivity tool. Employers, introducing mindfulness as a productivity tool, are not being transparent. About the benefit. Yes, mindfulness promotes different ways of thinking and acting in the workplace, and that may very well increase productivity as a result.


What’s the Verdict?

Meditation seems like it is the next best thing since sliced bread! These outcomes from meditation practice have been documented in companies like Apple, Yahoo, Google, Texas Instruments, McKinsey Consulting, Deutsch Bank, and Hughes Aircraft. It is hard to question the effectiveness of meditation when it has found success in very successful companies. Research is ongoing on meditation, but it continues to validate the outcomes of the practice. With our high intensity environment, speed of communication and overwhelming amount of information that we are exposed to everyday, meditation is the perfect practice for brain health.


References:

Francis, Charles (2013). Mindfulness in the workplace. http://mindfulnessmeditationinstitute.org


Team MyHub. (June 28, 2018). Mindfulness in the workplace: practical ways to introduce it. Retrieved from https://www.www.myhubintranet.com/mindfulness-in-the-workplace

 
 
 

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We are already into June! I am not moving as fast as time apparently. I am just preparing for the “lazy, hazy days of summer”.

June is anything but lazy.  This is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month.  This month brings to light the value of living a brain healthy lifestyle, the importance of early detection, and the support that is available for those with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers.

The FDA approved the blood test that detects Alzheimer’s disease and identifies what stage of the disease is present.  These tests will be available in doctor’s offices.  What does this mean?  Diagnosing Alzheimer’s was a bit of hit or miss because the methods of diagnosis were complicated and not definitive.  The primary care doctor had to figure out what specialist to refer the patient and lose more diagnostic time trying to get them an appointment.  Determining how far the disease had progressed was even more of a challenge.  With this blood test, immediate results and staging allows immediate, appropriate care to be initiated.  In the early stages of the disease a person can maintain a higher quality of life for a longer period.

The Alzheimer’s Association National Event – Outshine the Darkness of Alzheimer’s.  The Longest Day is celebrated on June 21, the summer solstice.

This is a global effort to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, with participants choosing activities they love to do while fundraising.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (June 15) promotes a better understanding of abuse and neglect of older persons by highlighting the cultural, social, economic and demographic processes affecting elder abuse and neglect.

National Safety Month includes safety measures for seniors – fall prevention, safe medication use, home safety modifications. Check with you local Area Agency on Aging for information.

 

Over the past few years, I have had a friend, Carol Meyer, who has been a part of My Boomer Brain.  Carol has her own publication, InFlow that is published quarterly.  It is amazing.  InFlow Magazine - Your Digital Dose of Inspiration is just that.  She has chosen some of my blogs to publish in InFlow and I am grateful.  She wants me to extend an invitation to look at InFlow for yourself.  Here is the link and access information:

https://inflowmagazine.gumroad.com/l/Issue11

Scroll to ‘Name a fair price’

Enter ‘0’ in the ‘name a fair price’ field to get it for free

Click ‘I want this’ and follow the prompts

 

With summer just around the corner, I’m booking online and in-person presentations for July.  Topics are varied and topical, ranging from memory care, the aging brain, brain health, cognitive resilience, and many more.  If you are interested in organizing an event or want to discuss how brain health can be integrated into your community or organization, please reach out to me directly at patricia@myboomerbrain.com

 

Finally, if you are looking for more in-depth strategies and a roadmap to better health, I encourage you to explore my book, The Boomer Brain. It is a resource designed for anyone over 40 who wants to understand how lifestyle choices impact cognitive aging and what you can do to keep your brain sharp for years to come.  Find it on Amazon: https://amazon.com/dp/1962133613

 

Slow down your time and enjoy the laid-back pace of summer. 

Pat

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