Do you ever feel overexerted while working, feeling as if there is too much piled on you, and your head is spinning? Or perhaps you have been sedentary in front of your computer, and despite every effort made toward achieving focus, you are unable to do so? If yes, you are amongst many! This is something most people face at work. But what if there was a technique to calm the brain, to keep the focus, and to cope with the pressure? That’s where mindfulness comes in!
What does Mindfulness Mean?
Before we get into the details, let us define some basic words. Mindfulness means paying attention to whatever is happening in reality without evaluation or any preference. It is like sensing the happening in the here and now, into, and around without being caught in a past, or worrying in a future. Being mindful is paying attention to the activity that you are engaged in whether it is scratching your head, talking to a person, firing up your laptop, or simply breathing.
In this blog let’s see in detail, to examine how such practices help in stress management and enhancement of performance at the place of work.
What Happens in the Brain When We Practice Mindfulness?
Think of your mind as a computer that never stops working. It does get a little ‘sluggish’ when there is a lot of stress or when you get distracted; that is how computers work too. It is like multitasking on your computer – too many processes are active at the same time and the computer begins to slow down. However, being present in the moment is like closing down all programs, working towards a successful completion of the current task.
1. Mindfulness Strengthens the Prefrontal Cortex
The part of the brain that lies directly behind your forehead is called the prefrontal cortex. This area of the brain is in charge of such processes as decision making, concentration and willpower. As you practice mindfulness, this region of your brain gets developed. That’s like working out muscles – it improves your ability to concentrate and make right decisions.
2. It Calms Down the Amygdala
The amygdala is one of the areas of your brain that’s responsible for dealing with fear and stress. You can think of this area as your ‘panic mechanism’ in the brain. During stress, the amygdala functions faster than normal and makes one feel overly tense, anxious or exhausted. It is however possible to assist such persons and mindfulness is perfect for such situations. That’s like saying to your brain, “Chill out; you are not in danger,” so that every small problem does not light up the flame of panic.
3. Improves Communication Between Brain Parts
It is known that there are several areas of the brain which have to work together to properly sustain us. It is claimed that mindfulness practice reduces brain distractions, activates regions of the brain to ensure effective communication. Thus mindfulness practice simplifies problem solving, improving one’s concentration and coping with any situation.
How Mindfulness Helps in Real Life at Work?
Having known about the underlying processes of the brain, let us examine how it is possible for mindfulness to assist you in achieving your goals at the workplace.
1. Staying Focused on a Task
You’re busy with an important activity when you get an important call, a new message, and a colleague who desires a talk with you. Quite easy to get distracted, right? Through practicing mindfulness one can focus on only one thing at a time. It trains your brain to bring your focus back to what matters even if everything around you disturbs your attention.
Try This: Next time you work on a task, set a timer for 5 minutes. For those 5 minutes, devote all your energy only on that particular task. If something comes up in your mind and disturbs you, gently remind yourself and return to the task. You’ll see that this becomes better with practice.
2. Handling Stressful Situations
Say for instance that your superior assigns you with a task that has a very limited time frame and the anxiety starts creeping in. Typically, there is the activation of the brain’s emergency system where the amygdala makes you feel overwhelmed and you would engage yourself in a moving frenzy to get the task done. Nonetheless, if you practice being calm, taking in a few deep breaths allowing yourself to relax even when under pressure and completing the assignment would be achievable under stressful situations.
Try This: Take a break: Breaking from the stressed mindset is crucial. To relieve the tension for a second, breathe in and out 3 times completely. These deep breaths can make sure the body and brain are at peace, or at least less stress level and increase the state of focus.
3. Better Decision-Making
You are in a meeting and everyone has agreed on taking a decision but the decision must be made now. It’s possible that your brain is all over the place, making it harder for you to make an appropriate choice with all the options present before you. Mindfulness helps your prefrontal cortex to activate therefore aiding in constructive thinking and wise decisions even in the heat of the moment. The better decision strikes a balance between logic and emotion, acknowledging and respecting feelings while responding to them thoughtfully and rationally.
Try This:The next time you have to make a decision, start off by taking one minute to breathe gently about how you are feeling. How are you? Is there only composure or anxiety? In order not to be carried away by the emotions; it is very important to keep oneself composed in order to make rational decisions.
4. Enhancing Relationships with Co-workers
One of the results of this practice is a better way of communicating with your work colleagues. If you engage in two way interactions and in the process remain focused on listening to the response rather than worrying about the next thing to say, you will have better relationships.
Try This: Next time, when you speak to your colleague, pay close attention to what they are saying. Remove any interruptions, and don’t think of your follow-up at the moment. Just concentrate on them. This will certainly help you improve your professional relationships.
The Research Behind It All
Mindfulness isn’t just a trendy idea—it’s backed by science! Here are a few studies that show how mindfulness affects the brain and improves performance at work:
- A study by Harvard University found that people who practiced mindfulness meditation for just 8 weeks had thicker gray matter in the brain areas responsible for learning, memory, and emotion regulation. This means their brains were better equipped to handle learning new things and managing stress.
- Research from the University of California showed that employees who practiced mindfulness were more focused, had better memory, and were less likely to feel emotional exhaustion (burnout). These employees were able to handle the demands of their jobs more effectively.
- A study from Stanford University found that mindfulness practice reduced activity in the amygdala, making people less reactive to stress and helping them stay calm under pressure. This led to improved workplace performance, especially in high-stress jobs.
How to Start Practicing Mindfulness at Work?
Incorporating mindfulness at work is simple and effective. Here are a few easy ways to start:
- Mindful Breathing: Take a few minutes to focus on your breath. Pause, close your eyes, and breathe deeply, paying attention to each inhale and exhale. This calms your mind and body, especially during stressful moments.
- Mindful Walking: As you move around the office, focus on the sensation of your feet touching the ground and your body moving. This keeps you present and helps reduce stress.
- Mindful Listening: In conversations or meetings, fully focus on what the other person is saying without planning your response. This improves communication and builds better relationships.
- Mindful Breaks: Take short breaks to breathe, stretch, or sit quietly. These quick pauses refresh your mind and improve productivity.
- Mindful Eating: Pay attention to your food’s taste, texture, and smell. Eating mindfully allows you to enjoy your meal and gives your brain a rest from work.
- Mindful Emailing: Before sending an email, take a moment to review it. Ensure your message is clear and thoughtful, which can reduce misunderstandings.
- Mindful Start and End of Day: Begin with an intention for the day, such as focusing on one task at a time. End your day by reflecting on what went well and what you can improve for tomorrow.
These small mindfulness practices can help you stay calm, focused, and productive at work. Start with one or two and see how they enhance your workday!
Final Thoughts
Mindfulness is such a strategy that when followed helps in the effective rewiring and operations of the brain so that one can remain task oriented and calm even during difficult situations. If you adhere to various forms of mindfulness techniques on a regular basis, you will be able to not just do better at your job, but also look after yourselves more. Therefore, if you ever find yourself becoming frustrated or lose concentration while working, focus, take a deep breath and do not forget that you have options, and one of them is ‘Mindfulness’.
Gita Shawney, a U.S based psychotherapist developing stress enhancement programs that incorporate mindfulness and awareness videos for professional audiences. Exercises of simplified mindfulness have even been embraced at workplaces even during the most hectic working hours. Visit the YouTube channel for more content that promotes your mental health and boosts productivity.
Include brief mindfulness exercises into the working schedule and observe how your working day—and also life—changes!
