Practicing mindfulness in the workplace for increased productivity
In a fast-paced world, increased stress levels to meet targets have caused early burnout in the working class. The countless number of distractions has hampered productivity in a big way. To combat these barriers to success, we can take tangible steps to encourage focus and awareness by using mindfulness in the workplace.
We need to understand ‘mindfulness’ and why practising it can lead to a more productive and engaging work space.
What is Mindfulness in the workplace?
Being present in the moment and having control over your thoughts and emotions in every situation without judgment can become an act of mindfulness. Those who follow mindfulness will not be impulsive and react thoughtfully even during intense pressure-like situations.
Why is Mindfulness Important for Employee Productivity?
The constant pressure to multitask several things and various deadlines often compels employees to diminish productivity. To compensate for the lack of time, each task doesn’t get the required attention and thought processing, leading to sub-standard work. Inculcating mindfulness in the workplace can elevate employee productivity exponentially. The employee finds better mental clarity while learning to balance their emotions, becoming a key driver to success that’s showcased in their work performance.
Top 5 Benefits of mindfulness in the workplace:
1. Improved focus and concentration
The weight of emotional exhaustion can prevent job satisfaction, leading to unproductive encounters in their stream of work. Mindfulness can help manage these emotions and ensure better focus and concentration, leading to important organisational outcomes.
2. Better stress management
Work pressure can impact performance and reduce productivity in a big way. Introducing mindfulness training for employees can help build resilience at an individual level and reflect in the workplace as well.
3. Enhanced creativity and problem-solving
Your behaviour is self-determined and allows you to approach the situation with an adaptive stance. Since the mind is freed from unwanted stress and work pressures, mindfulness allows the faculties to work on creative prospects and find solutions to the problems proactively.
4. Stronger team relationships
Reduction of stress can ensure better relationships with fellow team members. Learning how to practice mindfulness at work will enable employees to become more invested in their jobs. They’ll experience increased satisfaction in the workspace, leading to an environment for better employee engagement.
5. Boosted emotional resilience
The drive to succeed in the task becomes the focus, and other variables that may be impeding it don’t matter as much. Employees being mindful will have increased efficiency in the workplace as they stand to complete the task at a specified time.
How to Apply Mindfulness in the Workplace?
- Meditation sessions have been one of the most used workplace mindfulness techniques to enhance productivity. It allows your employees to focus on their thoughts. Initially, short and guided meditation exercises can enable them to gradually find the rhythm to not give in to distractions.
- Creating quiet zones or observing minutes of silence before a stressful brainstorming session can help build that mindfulness. It allows you to take a breath and analyse before you jump to a decision. Building that patience and time to reflect will ensure better solutions.
- Apps and workshops regularly in corporate settings can help employees figure out mindfulness. The management has to invest in such programs that help in improving workplace productivity through mindfulness. Encouraging employees to learn the techniques and follow through on them can enable them to give time and commit to it in the long run.
- When leaders take on the mantle to model mindful behaviour, there’ll be a significant impact on the rest of the team members to follow suit. Influencing individuals in the team to adopt mindfulness in their personal and work lives, better organisations, families and communities collectively.
Takeaways from mindfulness in the workplace
Applying mindfulness in the workplace can lead to innovative ideas. Employees will act and think to encourage productive workplace interactions. They can now contemplate and move forward with set intentions without any distractions.