How to bring mindfulness to the workplace
Last week I facilitated a session on The Power of Pause – Practical Mindfulness for Leaders to about 60 people currently participating in leadership development programs or graduates of the programs.
Toward the end of the session, a person asked, “As a leader, how would I begin bringing mindfulness practices to my team?” I paused to consider his question. I then responded that I think it begins with SELF. Try a few mindfulness practices and be aware of how it changes your day and how you relate with others. I suggested starting with creating some quiet time in your day, deep breathing, and learning to just BE in the silence. Be observant of how silence and deep breathing in your day affects your emotions, thoughts, heart, and ultimately your relationships. My sense is, I said, that people will notice a change in your behavior and will share their observations. Then, that might be a good time to introduce your mindful practices.
Lo and behold, the next day, I was reading the recent issue of Mindful, and there was a section on “5 Practices for Creating a Balanced Workplace.” The article’s first practice is “Train your mind.” It said “that the basis for healthy emotions in the workplace is self-awareness and self-regulation.” The way to cultivate these skills is through regular meditation or quiet time. If we can train our minds and hearts with meditation or quiet time, it will promote “health and well-being by first offering it to others.” It starts with SELF.
