How practising mindfulness in the workplace can improve your wellbeing

No matter what kind of environment you work in - whether it’s an office, a construction site, or even your own home - it’s important to take regular breaks to prevent yourself from feeling stressed or overwhelmed. However, there can be occasional days in the workplace where we may forget to spare a moment for ourselves, which can negatively affect our wellbeing. Fortunately, mindfulness is a simple yet powerful skill that can be practised by anyone to achieve moments of peace and calm, as and when we need it.  

Mindfulness is a state of mind where you’re focused solely on what’s happening in the present moment. It was first introduced to the world by Buddhist monks and is just like any other skill, which means it can be learned and perfected with just a little practise and commitment. If you feel uncomfortable with the idea of practising mindfulness, it’s important to remember that science has showcased a range of its benefits to both our physical and mental health, so you don’t need to have any particular beliefs to try it.

Here are some of the ways practising mindfulness in the workplace can improve your wellbeing:

Increased Positive Emotion

By using mindfulness at work to keep yourself focused on the present moment, you’ll be less likely to dwell on the past mistakes or future deadlines, which can significantly increase your positive emotion. Feeling more positive in the workplace can boost your confidence when participating in group meetings or presentations, and you’ll start developing more meaningful friendships with your colleagues as your communication skills improve.

Minimise Distractions

Mindfulness can help to declutter the unhelpful thoughts from your mind, which can be particularly useful if you find yourself regularly distracted or restless whilst at work. With the right techniques, like writing down your thoughts and experiences in a journal, you'll learn to identify whatever’s bothering you in the present moment. This can also improve your productivity and problem-solving skills as you begin to explore different ways you can minimise the distractions throughout your day.    

A Healthier Mind

Mental illness and behavioural problems are reported to be the primary cause of disability worldwide. It’s estimated that in the past week alone, 1 in 6 people in England experienced a common mental health problem - such as anxiety or depression. Fortunately, practising mindfulness can also be an effective method of treating and preventing mild symptoms of mental illness. Completing small mindfulness exercises at work, like focusing on your breathing for sixty seconds before an important meeting, can help to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. Mindfulness can also be successfully combined with forms of therapy like CBT, which can help reduce the chance of a relapse if you’ve ever suffered from addiction or severe depression.

A Healthier Body

Mindfulness exercises can also benefit your physical health, too. With consistent practise during the day, scientists have found that mindfulness can help to relieve chronic pain, lower blood-pressure, and treat sleeping disorders - such as insomnia. Mindfulness meditation is also recognised to be an effective treatment for heart disease, after researchers discovered that just 15 minutes of meditation a day reduced the risk of a heart attack or stroke by 48%.  

Mindfulness Training

Practising mindfulness can have a huge positive impact on an employee’s mental health and wellbeing, and our Mindfulness Course is the perfect introduction to this valuable skill. This short course will cover what mindfulness actually means and the importance of being mindful in and outside of the workplace. Users will also be provided with some useful tips and exercises for being more mindful throughout their day.

Why not get started with a no-obligation free trial today?