How Can Mindfulness Help You Achieve Greatness?
Fatigue. Brain fog. Nervous saturation. They won’t help you achieve the success
you seek, yet how are you planning to eliminate them from your life. It is no surprise to hear that CEO Jack Dorsey, TV sensation Ellen Degeneres or entrepreneur Russell Simmons turn to practices such as wabi sabi or meditation to spark their creative juices
and battle negativity. Both practices essentially remind us that the negativity, fear, or exhaustion we feel are impermanent. Fighting these feelings stops us from progressing; on the contrary, it drives us to deeper desperation. To feel like we are their masters and not their slaves, it is key to understand that they do not define us.
Fascinating Findings on Mindfulness: Transcendental meditation reminds us that there is something beyond ourselves; a powerful force that unites us. Mindfulness meditation tells us that ‘the spectacular present’ is all we have. The focus is different but
the effect is similar: that of greater mental clarity and peace. Many studies
have been carried out into the benefits of mindfulness – a practice which
has been found to significantly lower levels of stress hormone. When these
hormones are present at chronically high levels, they can cloud our thinking, lead us to an anxious state, and make us unproductive both at work and in our daily lives.
Mindfulness and Work: One fascinating analysis looked at the effect of mindfulness in the workplace. The authors note that in the past, top companies were reticent
to offer mindfulness training because they saw it as “fluffy, esoteric, and
spiritual.” Today, however, a plethora of companies have embraced mindfulness as part of their staff training. Companies such as Google, Mayo Clinic and Aetna are doing so with excellent results. Mindfulness is important on many levels for businesses. On the one hand, it gives executives or managers a greater awareness of the present, which is vital when they are being barraged with phone calls and conflicting demands and requests. Mindfulness also improves work performance, since it improves three main qualities: stability, control and efficiency. Finally, it improves relationships between co-workers. When they are more in tune to what others are saying and feeling, communication and teamwork improve exponentially.
Mindfulness and Mood: A positive frame of mind is vital if you are to achieve your many daily goals and mindfulness can help you achieve it. One study by researchers at
the University of Utah found that awareness of the present moment is linked
to self-regulation and better mood. Those who make time for mindfulness can
control their perceptions of people and situations as well as their behaviour. They also have the mental calm they need to sleep better at night.
To achieve all your goals, it is vital to have a positive, forward thinking state of mind, without losing sight of the fact that ultimately, all you have is the here and now. Try to make room for mindfulness in your organization to boost staff communication and improve leadership. Working all day until breaking point may achieve short-term goals but for long-term success, boosting your mental health is key.