Just how stressed out are employees today?
According to McGraw, the regular practice of mindfulness can lead to positive changes in up to eight parts of the brain associated with a fight-or-flight stress response. That can mean:
- Better emotional regulation
- Improved rationalization and reasoning
- Better mental clarity, insight and understanding
- Enhanced focus and productivity
"This mental training, derived from ancient techniques and validated by modern science, offers an alternative to habits of worry, anxiety and frustration, increasing happiness and productivity," McGraw said.
As McGraw noted, mindfulness goes beyond checking the box - "We did one session, now we're done." She offers the following tips to cultivate mindfulness at work:
- Engage in group mindfulness sessions to facilitate culture change.
- Be sure that leadership buys in to the idea so that you have support and adequate resources.
- Don't fall for the trap that you simply don't have enough time. Practicing mindfulness saves time, allowing you and your colleagues to return to your workday feeling refreshed, productive and focused.
- Tap into available resources at work. At UC, those include Midday Mindfulness in the 1819 Innovation Hub and mindfulness tools and programming through the Osher Center for Integrative Health.
Featured image at top: Meriden McGraw conducts mindfulness training session. Photos/Andrew Higley/UC Marketing + Brand
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