The benefits of mindfulness in the workplace are numerous, extending from the employee to the top executive. Not only has mindfulness been linked to lower blood pressure, improved memory, and less stress, but business leaders also report better decision making, more satisfying professional connections, and enhanced productivity and creativity. Elizabeth Kabalka, executive director at the Center for Mindful Living in Chattanooga, says, “Given the rapid pace of business, we all want to be 100% present, and not just reacting to the fear that being busy and stressed can cause. Mindfulness allows us to better focus, to better regulate ourselves so that we can tune into others and be better leaders.”
There are multiple ways to incorporate mindfulness in your daily life and in your business, and it doesn’t have to be a yoga session or meditation. Mindfulness often begins with a certain self-awareness: learning and improving upon your strengths, while also recognizing when and where you could use help. “The foundation of an innovative, successful business leader rests on relationships, and our relationships with others begin with ourselves. In order to have effective, productive, and enjoyable connections with our employees, we must become aware of ourselves and our patterns,” says Julie L. Brown, psychotherapist and consultant.
Patience, open communication, and collaboration are all keys to a mindful management style. Taking the time to break from your workday and breathe or meditate, especially before a big meeting with a difficult client or employee, allows you the opportunity to calm yourself and “be present” mentally – without distraction. Once business leaders master some of these mindful practices, they can model and encourage mindfulness among their employees.
Scott Downes, chief technical officer at Bellhops, believes that a mindful management style has had a positive impact on his life in every aspect. “Sometimes people see mindfulness as a coping strategy for high-stress environments,” Downes explains.