The attention span of a goldfish is nine seconds, but around the world, we now have attention spans shorter than even the goldfish! Our minds are in a constant receiver mode giving us no time to digest and process information. A relentless barrage of data leaves us grappling with emotional and cognitive overload. But fear not! In this tumultuous sea of stimuli, we have the power to rise above and restore our emotional and cognitive focus.

The solution is mindfulness. It’s about re-training your brain and directing attention toward simple and very specific stimuli. By learning to direct attention through mindfulness, we can define focus and the purpose of that focus. Through the practice of mindfulness, you can learn to guide your focus intentionally, thereby shaping both the focal point and its underlying purpose. And it doesn’t just have benefits for individuals but for teams and the entire business as well.

Businesses with mindful teams are better equipped to compete. Research shows that increasing mindfulness in the workplace can decrease stress levels while improving focus, decision-making abilities, and overall well-being. In addition, it also leads to resilience and self-awareness, reduces emotional exhaustion, increases openness to new ideas, and develops compassion and empathy.

As with everything, increasing mindfulness in the workplace starts from the top down. Leaders must lead by example by taking brain breaks and blocking out unscheduled time. In our blog series on mindfulness, we help you get started on introducing the path to mindfulness at your workplace. We also talk about practicing mindfulness in communication by building better relationships with the introverts on your team and self-reflection.

Introducing mindfulness to the workplace brings a lot of benefits. We’re not only talking about the well-being and resilience of employees but also a sound business investment that pays dividends. Mindfulness allows businesses to decrease stress, reduce turnover, improve productivity, recruit top talent, and increase innovation.

The future of work is human-centered, where everyone thrives and mindfulness, wellness, and well-being become more than just buzzwords. It’s a movement and it starts with each of us.

See you next month!