A cursory glance at best seller lists, wellbeing social media sites and anywhere else we go for advice will show that the world is searching for help in alleviating the stress of living in our uncertain world. Amongst all the short-term suggestions, fad-diets and urges to ‘hustle’ or ‘change-up your life’, the one approach that is reliable, evidence-based and proven to develop resilience and reduce stress, is mindfulness – a type of “brain-hack” that has provable benefits for the individual and the organisations they work for.
In addition to the personal life and societal stressors so many of us are struggling with, plus record-breaking levels of work-related stress, overwhelm and burnout, nearly one-million workers experiencing work-related stress, anxiety or depression. This is bad news for the worker and their employers alike. People facing higher levels of stress are less likely to perform at their best, are more likely to be disengaged at work, and are taking more days off sick due to stress than ever before.
Increasingly, progressive organisations are turning to mindfulness, providing sessions and courses for staff, boosting both the mental health of employees and their performance at work. The benefits of this practice make it easy to see why organisations are turning to this tried and tested practice:
Benefits –
Reduces stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms: Mindfulness is clinically proven to reduce stress markers such as heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol levels. It reduces anxiety and depression symptoms and even decreases the size of the amygdala, the “fight or flight” part of the brain, making people less reactive in the face of stressors.
Improves focus, memory and problem-solving skills: People who regularly engage in mindfulness practice show consistent improvements in their focus and concentration, enhanced memory functioning as well as being more resilient when facing and solving challenges. These skills are essential for meeting our professional responsibilities.
Increases commitment and happiness at work: Research has shown that mindfulness practice contributes to people being able to follow tasks to completion and with fewer errors. Also, satisfaction in the workplace tends to be higher among mindfulness practitioners, brining benefits for the individual and organisation.
Enhances Emotional Intelligence and Communication Skills: Repeatedly studies into mindfulness show that it improves social relationships, reducing conflict and enhancing empathy for others. Employees who practice mindfulness are more reflexive in their responses and have better interpersonal relationships with colleagues, things that organisations rely on to function.
Develops Resilience: Mindfulness cultivates resilience and the ability to mange change effectively. Businesses thrive in a dynamic environment and organisational change is feature of the modern workplace, but change can be unsettling for individuals, impacting their performance. Mindfulness cultivates the resources needed to cope with change, promoting objectivity and equilibrium at times of difficulty.
How to implement Mindfulness in your workplace
At Wellbeing Partners we specialise in offering a full range of workplace mindfulness services led by our team of experts, all qualified to Masters degree level in Mindfulness Studies, and with many years experience of providing mindfulness in the workplace.
Regular mindfulness sessions: We provide regular in-person or online 30 minute mindfulness sessions in workplaces, which encourage employees into the workplace, and provide a regular time each week to engage in this beneficial practice.
One hour Mindfulness workshops: These one hour highly interactive workshops are an ideal lunch and learn offering that encourage employees into the workplace to enjoy the benefits of evidence-based learning. On offer are sessions such as:
- “An Introduction to Mindfulness
- “Mindfulness in Daily Life”
- “Mindfulness for Resilience”
- “A Mindful Approach to Sleep”
- “Mindfulness for Parents”
- “Mindfulness for Men”
- “Dynamic Mindfulness”
Mindfulness Courses: Our evidence-based courses are highly interactive and facilitated by our mindfulness teachers who specialise in MBCT and MBSR. Each course is one hour per week for 4-8 weeks, and is for groups of up to 15 people in your workplace:
- 8 week Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy for reducing anxiety, catastrophising and depression
- 8 week Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction for reducing stress & anxiety, overcoming burnout and improving sleep
- 4 week Facing Anxiety and Flourishing – a short course using mindfulness and CBT techniques to help employees who struggle with anxiety
Online Wellbeing Retreat: Our popular “Online Wellbeing Retreat” is an online hour of interactive relaxation including segments on physical stretching & improving energy with our physiotherapist, relaxing the mind & cultivating gratitude with our counselling psychotherapist, and grounding & engaging with the senses with our mindfulness teacher.