Mindfulness is by no means a new concept, but it's one that has enjoyed a resurgence in our modern world of constant connectivity and distractions. We are bombarded every day by texts, emails, chat messages, phone calls, social media notifications and advertisements -- and that's all on top of the hundreds of thoughts racing through our minds at any given time.
It can be difficult to tune those things out and devote our full attention to the situation, conversation or task at hand, especially in the workplace, but being present and mindful means being more focused and productive. If you want to decrease stress and increase efficiency among your team members, encourage them to practice mindfulness with these strategies recommended by Forbes Coaches Council.
1. Lead By Example
Asking of others what you don’t yet have yourself only promotes inauthentic behavior. First, be what you ask others to become. A lack of mindfulness in your organization, division or team is a direct expression of your own lack of value clarity. Mindfulness does not demand or desire. Mindfulness allows, and through its acceptance, it attracts others to value and practice. - Jay Steven Levin, WinThinking
2. Give People Time To Dream
Leaders don't need to control every minute of their employees' days. It makes it hard for employees to use their imagination. I called one of my clients at his new job and asked what he was doing. He said, "Nothing." I said, "You can't do that," and he replied, "My boss likes it when I dream." He explained that his boss recognized that mindfulness and peace result in great revenue-generating ideas. - John M. O'Connor, Career Pro Inc.
3. Look At Your Response From Another's Point of View
When in doubt, don't send the email, make the call or start a meeting until you feel "C3" -- clear, calm and confident. There's nothing worse than responding with attitude and paying the price later with self-doubt or anxiety. Always think of your actions from another's point of view and take their perspective into consideration. This action alone can go a long way toward creating a mindful workplace. - Cheryl Amyx, 4CEO, Inc.
4. Ask Challenging Questions
Great leaders ask great questions. The leader who wants to inspire their team to think bigger should ask questions to challenge the thinking of their team. Questions call people to act and think. Each week, a leader can ask their team a question about how to improve the company and the organization, and watch the ideas, suggestions and comments lead to productivity, engagement and breakthroughs. - Ken Gosnell, CEO Experience
5. Get Up And Take A Break
Let your team see you take breaks. Get out from under the work pile. It's hard but necessary to ensure best efforts are put forth. Taking a physical break, getting up from the computer and walking away, forces the mind back to present. The shift in both mental and physical activity creates a space for rest and rejuvenation. With a refreshed mind and body come new ideas and renewed commitment. - Lynita Mitchell-Blackwell, Leading Through Living Community
6. Teach People How To Practice Mindfulness
Teach people what mindfulness is, and help them experience it for themselves. Giving people some simple mindfulness tools can help them become more aware of how they feel and react to emotion, more observant of their inner and outer worlds and more present in how they listen and communicate, raising the overall level of consciousness in the workplace. - Andrea MacKenzie, Lead With Harmony
7. Remember To Breathe
People react out of urgency in our disruptive world and throw words out of their mouths every second. Overstimulated people with big egos think innovation is more important than human kindness. People need to stop talking and start breathing. Breathe as you sit in your conference room, think about the lives before you and speak mindfully with human-centered intention. - Drew Aversa, MBA & RYT, Aversa Strategies
8. Notice The Little Things Around You
When I worked in advertising with back-to-back meetings and no control over my schedule, I'd practice mindfulness throughout my day. As I walked to a meeting, I'd focus on how each part of my foot felt touching the ground as I approached the conference room. When I washed my hands, I'd notice the water temperature and feel of the soap. Even a few minutes throughout your day can make a difference. - Rosie Guagliardo, InnerBrilliance Coaching
9. Lead With Emotional Connection
You have to be emotionally present, especially when people are facing the dragon. To really understand the emotional reality for people and their struggles, and create an emotional alliance in order to help them overcome the challenges, address their emotional blocks and reconnect the team together. Without this, people will not perform to the best of their abilities. - Lola Gershfeld, PsyD, Level Five Executive, Inc.
10. Allow Gap Time Between Meetings
Most workplaces have back-to-back meetings, where people race from one meeting to the next without a moment to breathe or think. Employees are either late to the next meeting or check out of their prior meeting early, mentally or physically. This is true for virtual meetings, as well. Allowing five to 10 minutes between meetings increases focus, productivity and well-being for everyone. - Christine Allen, Ph.D, Insight Business Works
11. Slow Down And Block 'Unscheduled' Time For Yourself
The best thing you can do to encourage mindfulness is slow down. Speed has a way of perpetuating itself and, unfortunately, can trigger the fight or flight response (acute stress) -- and then the possibility of reflecting is zero to none. Slow down; check in with your body and breath. Purposefully blocking unscheduled time and getting out of your normal routine can also help to increase mindfulness. - Eugene Dilan, Psy.D., DILAN Consulting Group
12. Don't Be A Micromanager
Yoga and massage therapists at work are positive, but if you want more mindfulness among team members, start by giving people space and time to be mindful. Stress is a major block to mindfulness, and one of the biggest stressors is -- you guessed it -- micromanagement. So, remember, it’s not necessary to hover, and doing so not only affects morale; it prohibits free thinking and creativity. - Andy Bailey, Petra Coach
13. Incorporate Mindfulness Into Meetings
One of the things that I recommend and have practiced is to take a few minutes at the beginning of a meeting to meditate, set intentions and take a few breaths. I have found that this allows for mindfulness to be an action item and incorporated into the culture of the organization, as it shows the importance of it in all aspects of life. - Manpreet Dhillon, Veza
14. Start A Conversation About Mindfulness
Mindfulness can be frightening to the uninformed. People often do not realize that mindfulness can be accessed through a multitude of approaches. Starting a conversation where other team members reveal the techniques that work for them can help people struggling with the concept understand and de-mystify the topic. - David Galowich, Terra Firma Leadership LLC
