The practice of meditation can be a powerful tool to enhance productivity and wellness in the workplace.
Flooded with conference calls, deadlines, and the tireless pursuit of exceeding expectations of clients and colleagues, the workplace can be a stressful and overwhelming environment. Giving in to the anxiety is the natural tendency for many people. In fact, many professionals like to wear their anxiety as a badge of honor, proof that they are in the trenches, willing to sacrifice self-care and calmness for the sake of the bottom line.
But taking on too much stress can have a significant and negative impact on productivity. Specifically, employees experiencing higher levels of stress were more likely to be disengaged from their work and be absent more often. They are also at an increased risk for medical complications, such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and compromised mental health.
A Stress-Free Solution
Establishing a meditation program at the office is a powerful way to help improve the well-being of employees. And it does not require a lot of time or money to launch this type of practice. Simply set aside a space, pick a time, and prepare to go inward.
There are many options for guidance where your meditations are concerned. You may hire a local meditation professional to come in a few times each week or find guided meditation practices online. Ask around. Perhaps a mindfulness practitioner is already part of your corporate team.
Once your team gets in the habit of meditating regularly, it stands to reap valuable rewards that are beneficial in the office and at home, including enhanced:
- Clarity of mind to improve decision-making skills
- Compassion to better relate with clients and coworkers
- Listening abilities to promote relationships based on communication and trust
- Memory skills for better recall of facts, figures, and names
- Presence to better overcome distractions and improve efficiency
- Purpose to more strongly connect with projects and peers
Asset management company BlackRock beautifully illustrated the power of merging a meditation mind set into the financial service industry. Corporate Wellbeing and Performance Consultant Golbie Kamarei, who served in key leadership positions with the company, founded The BlackRock Meditation Program in an effort to fuse mindfulness into the culture of the corporation. And the trend of twice-weekly meditations grew quickly, attracting hundreds of employees to participate in the global program.
Other leading companies have also put the practice of mindful meditation in motion. Google’s Search Inside Yourself program and Intel’s Awake@Intel have helped employees connect with their inner sense of calm and highest sense of efficient creativity.
From: True North Custom