What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the practice of living in the present moment. It involves not dwelling on past mistakes and failures or worrying about the future. When you’re mindful at work, you take on one task at a time and tune out distractions.

A mindful approach to work means thinking about how everything you do gets you closer to a goal. For example, if there’s a large project to finish, mindful working would be breaking down the milestones into daily tasks and then seeing each one through to completion rather than worrying about the looming deadline. If a person misses a key date, they would objectively assess what went wrong and then move forward without getting caught up in blaming other people or being upset at themselves.

What are the benefits of mindful work?

Mindfulness at work offers benefits for employees and companies. They include:

• Better stress management: Mindfulness can relax the body and mind, easing stress in the workplace.
• Improved productivity: Being mindful increases focus, so work can be completed more quickly without sacrificing quality.
• Conflict resolution: Mindful work means not assigning blame to others and emphasizes forgiveness and acceptance, so it can diffuse tensions and allow people to move past conflicts.
• Stronger teams: Through mindfulness, people can become more empathetic and receptive to others, leading to stronger, more cohesive teams.
• Increased motivation: Mindfulness allows individuals to find meaning in their daily tasks and see how they fit into a larger goal, keeping team members motivated.
• More positive outcomes: A mindful approach to work requires people to slow down and contemplate their thoughts and feelings. As a result, it can lead to better decision-making and reduce impulsivity.
• A morale boost: Becoming more mindful can increase personal happiness and job satisfaction, promoting a more positive workplace environment.
• Less burnout: By helping employees manage stress and conflict, mindfulness reduces the risk of burnout and may lower employee turnover rates over time.

Related: How to Help Employees Manage Stress (And Handle It Yourself)

How to encourage mindfulness at work

Mindfulness is simple to learn, but it takes some practice. As a leader or business owner, you can follow these mindfulness tips at work to help encourage your team to approach their days more mindfully.

1. Share tips on a regular basis

Keep mindfulness front of mind by regularly sharing tips with your team. Send out a daily or weekly tip through Slack or Teams on how to be more mindful. For example, you might encourage your team to check their email less frequently or suggest how to begin mindfulness during their daily commute or in their morning routine.

2. Be mindful yourself

Lead by example by practicing mindfulness at work yourself. Be open about your experiences with being mindful. Explain when the approach has benefited you, and share details about times when you struggled to stay mindful. Talking about your own challenges and triumphs can inspire your team and help them bounce back when they fall short of their own mindful work goals.

3. Allow unscheduled time

It can be difficult to practice mindfulness when your day consists of marathon meetings. Especially when they’re new to the practice, people benefit from having downtime to process their feelings and work through their thoughts. Allow your team an hour or two of blocked-off, unscheduled time during each workday whenever possible, so they have the space to reflect.

4. Encourage breaks

When stress levels rise, taking a mindfulness break can relax the body and mind. Ensure your team can step away from their desks when they need to recharge. If necessary, rework your meal and break policies to accommodate your team.

5. Lead the team in exercises

Mindfulness exercises can be beneficial for people no matter how long they’ve been practicing the approach. Deep breathing and visualization exercises can help beginners start to understand mindfulness, and more experienced people can deepen their practices through these activities.

Consider starting the day with a 5-minute mindfulness huddle. At the end of the gathering, have each team member set an intention for the day ahead. Then, at the end of the shift, send an email or instant message encouraging them to reflect on whether they succeeded with their intention. If not, emphasize the importance of viewing tomorrow as a new opportunity to follow through rather than dwelling on what occurred today.

6. Practice empathy and patience

When interacting with your team, put yourself in their shoes as much as possible. Solicit feedback and employ active listening so you hear what they say rather than trying to figure out your reply while they’re still talking. Be patient with others, and put their flaws and mistakes into perspective.

Related: The Importance of Emotional Intelligence for Employers and Their Teams

7. Create a quiet space

Although you can practice mindfulness anytime, anywhere, beginners sometimes find it easier to get in touch with the present moment when they’re in a quiet, comfortable place. Give them somewhere to go for a timeout by creating a designated mindfulness space with plush couches and floor cushions for relaxing.

Because observing through the senses is a great way to get into a mindful mindset, stimulate as many of them as possible. For example, you could hang interesting artwork in the room, use an essential oil diffuser or potpourri to scent the air and play soft music or sounds of nature.

8. Show gratitude

Practicing gratitude can help you and your team focus on the positives of the present moment. Look for opportunities to say thanks for things small and large. Recognize your employees’ achievements, and encourage team members to thank and recognize each other.

Related: Phrases for Recognizing Employees: How to Show Your Appreciation

9. Resolve issues and move forward

Mindfulness at work requires you and your team to not get caught up in the past. When issues arise, work together to find a resolution and encourage all parties involved to let go of what happened as you implement the solution. Avoid holding grudges yourself, and remind your team to stay in the present if they bring up the issue in the future.

Fostering mindfulness at work requires ongoing effort, and it can take time to see results from mindful work initiatives. Practice mindfulness as you roll out your plan for creating a mindful workplace by focusing on what you can do minute by minute, day by day, to keep your team in the present moment. Each small thing you can do adds up and can have a dramatic impact.

Mindfulness at work FAQs

How can I easily explain what mindfulness is to my team?

Ensuring that your team has a clear understanding of what mindfulness is will strengthen your effort to encourage the practice in the workplace. Because people learn best in different ways, take a multipronged approach to explaining the definition. Provide a short written explanation, and develop an infographic that defines mindfulness and provides some basic tips. Hold a team meeting to introduce mindfulness after handing out the written documentation. At the meeting, explain mindfulness in your own words and allow time for employees to ask questions.