Mindfulness and mediation have been around for thousands of years, but companies are just starting to embrace the benefits the practice can have on their employees and workplaces.
As Sheryl Connelly, a futurist at Ford Motor (F) , explained, “There’s an emerging body of scientific evidence that can actually prove that mindfulness can be beneficial to your physical well-being as well as your mental health.”
The mindfulness trend is a direct response to the increasing complexity in people’s lives where being constantly connected on mobile devices can take their toll.
In India, the U.S. and the United Kingdom, more than half of all adults say they make a conscious effort to disconnect from their devices.
“Meditation, yoga, these things can reduce your anxiety, slow down your heart rate, reduce your blood pressure and on the productivity side, not only can you become more efficient but you can also have better morale at work,” according to Connelly.
But disconnecting from all the “device noise” is only part of the solution. Employers are also realizing that more “mindful” employees mean better workplace outcomes.
In several countries, employers are actually teaching meditation to their senior leaders. In Japan for example, where firms with more than 50 employees are now required to administer annual stress tests, Yahoo! (YHOO) Japan is adding mindfulness and stress-management techniques to its leadership training programs.
For employees whose firms don’t offer special training, there are now mobile apps which might be helpful. One mindfulness app, called Buddhify, has become the No. 1 health and fitness app in more than 40 countries. It offers users more than 80 guided meditations that are specifically tailored to where the user is and what he or she are doing.
For weary business travelers, airports around the world are creating rooms for yoga and meditation between flights. Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Helsinki-Vantaa Airport and London’s Heathrow Airport now have permanent spaces where travelers can do yoga or meditate to help center themselves.
From: TheStreet