3 tips for the workplace.
By Romie Mushtaq, M.D.
Google, eBay, Intel and General Mills offer classes on it. So do Harvard Business School, Ross School of Business and Claremont Graduate University, among other campuses. Mindfulness--being focused and fully present in the here and now--is not just a corporate trend, but a proven method for success, both for individuals and for businesses.
Even if a company doesn’t make it part of the culture, employees and managers can substitute their multi-tasking habits with mindfulness to reduce stress and increase productivity. The result that you and your colleagues will notice is that you’re sharper, more efficient and more creative.
Many scientific and medical studies have documented that practicing mindfulness, whether it’s simply taking deep breaths, or actually meditating or doing yoga, has been shown to alter the structure and function of the brain, which is what allows us to learn, acquire new abilities, and improve memory. Advances in neuroimaging techniques have taught us how these mindfulness-based techniques affect neuroplasticity, or the brain's ability to change in function or structure based on new experience.
Multi-tasking, on the other hand, depresses the brain’s memory and analytical functions, and reduces blood flow to the part of the right temporal lobe that contributes to our creative thinking. In today’s marketplace, creativity is key for innovation, sustainability and leadership.
So how can people practice mindfulness in a workplace where multi-tasking is the norm, and concerns for future profits can add to workplace stress? Try these techniques.
• Focus on a single task for an allotted amount of time. You might say, “For 15 minutes, I’m going to read through my emails, and then for one hour, I’m going to make my phone calls.” If your job comes with constant interruptions that demand your attention, take several deep breaths and prioritize them. Resist the urge to answer the phone every time it rings, unless it’s your boss. If someone asks you to drop what you’re doing to help with a problem, it’s OK to tell them, “I’ll be finished with what I’m doing in 10 minutes, then I’m all yours.”
• When you get “stuck” in a task, change your physical environment to stimulate your senses. Sometimes we bounce from one task to another because we just don’t have the words to begin writing that strategic plan, or we’re staring at a problem and have no ideas for solutions. That’s the time to get up, take a walk outside and look at the flowers and the birds–change what you’re seeing–or turn on some relaxing music that makes you feel happy. Offering your senses pleasant and different stimulation rewires your brain for relaxation, and reduces the effects of stress hormones, which helps to unfreeze your creativity center.
• Delegate! We often have little control over the external stresses in our life, particularly on the job. How can you not multi-task when five people want five different things from you at the same time? Have compassion for yourself, and reach out for help. If you can assign a task to somebody else who’s capable of handling it, do so. If you need to ask a colleague to help you out, ask! This will not only allow you to focus on the tasks that most need your attention, it will reduce your stress.
And who knows? The colleague you’re asking for help may want to feel appreciated and part of your team! While it is possible to practice mindfulness in a hectic workplace, I encourage business leaders to make it part of the company culture. Stress-related illnesses are the No. 1 cause of missed employee workdays. Offering mindfulness training and yoga classes or giving people time and a place to meditate is an excellent investment. Your company’s performance will improve, you’ll see a reduction in stress-related illnesses and you’ll be a more successful businessperson.
Mushtaq Romie, M.D., is a mind-body medicine physician and neurologist. She did her medical education and training at the Medical University of South Carolina, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and University of Michigan, where she won numerous teaching and research awards. She brings to healing both her expertise of traditional Western medical training and Eastern modalities of mindfulness. She is currently a corporate health consultant and professional health and wellness life coach at the Center for Natural and Integrative Medicine in Orlando, Fla.
