Mindfulness beyond the benefits it provides for personal happiness is being applied by companies as a philosophy. This is because its impact and potential goes beyond a simple stress management technique, but can be applied to transform into meaningful leadership.
In other words, mindfulness is providing positive effects on productivity, well-being at work and leadership in companies. In other words, mindfulness is useful as an instrument of essential skills to deal with organizational changes.
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It is a teaching that stems from Buddhism, a philosophical ideology that dates back to 2500 years BC It is estimated that mindfulness has its origin in Kapilavastu, a site that is currently the border between India and Nepal. In this place a man, descendant of Suddhodana, monarch of the Sakya, called Siddharta Gautama, constitutes the first historical allusion to date. It is there, where the Eastern teachings about the human being and consciousness have taken shape and then spread throughout the world.
To practice mindfulness, it is necessary to know certain precepts. Below are the most important ones.
It refers to paying attention to the events of the moment. It is about not anticipating future situations, nor going back to return to the past. With this it can be said, for example, when brushing your teeth to focus your attention on the action in full.
With this, we seek to be fair spectators of the experience. Mainly there are appreciations and points of view about a good part of the events. People constantly make judgments and with mindfulness it is the opposite.
However, it does not mean that judgments are annulled, but it does mean that they can develop the ability to be aware when making opinions.
It refers to recognizing the true colors of things. It allows you to fully experience the present, whether they are simple or difficult situations.
It involves cultivating a mind that is not attached to anything and regards the beginning and end of situations as part of life. Like breathing, everything in life is receiving and letting go, and this process repeats itself.
It consists of trying to experience each moment as if it were new or fresh. In addition, it allows you to see the situation and the people as the first time instead of thoughts, expectations and preconceived ideas.
Mindufulness allows you to enjoy everything like the first time and adds enthusiasm for the little things in life. The components of mindfulness help to deeply understand its meaning and the learning that the practice leaves behind.
Mindfulness is not a mere relaxation technique, but a universal reaction to life, a lifestyle based on calm, peace, self-control, tranquility and self-awareness, which makes it possible to increase positive feelings.
The human being is constantly in search of happiness as if it were an object. It is according to this practice, a wrong path that can easily lead to frustration. Therefore, it is essential to understand that many of the states of happiness are within reach in the present. This suggests that waiting for the future and for it to be full of happiness is absurd.
Happiness refers to emotional states or feelings that are measured at a given moment, positive or negative evaluations. As well as the emotional response to previous experiences.
The most advisable thing at the moment of finding this happiness is to begin by conceptualizing what happiness is not . Commonly this inquiry is based on the achievement of enormous goals, such as succeeding and obtaining large portions of money, having an excellent job, among others.
This technique has become one of the most useful methods of emotional control that deals with acceptance and makes it possible to reduce impulsiveness. Similarly, it strengthens self-awareness.
In addition, it provides support to continue in connection with the values and purposes of each one, making it possible to obtain a higher level of satisfaction. It allows dealing with inconveniences with serenity, taking into account the problem and in the same way its resolution.
Admitting those things that are impossible to change is a good way to be a little happier. Finally, a better management of thoughts, feelings and behaviors puts a stop to certain thought patterns that are harmful and that put happiness aside.
Ignoring the circumstances and the environment in which the personal life of employees unfolds, some say that happiness at work depends on the environment. This is why it is important that work areas promote peace for those who inhabit them.
Mindfulness is of ancestral origin and belongs to the most relevant paradigms of recent times in behavioral science. It is put into practice in several environments: school, psychological therapy consultations, sports and also the union field.
The practice of mindfulness contains the opportunity to increase productivity, personal and organizational well -being . The benefits received from the practice of this current generate a dual transformation at the individual and organizational level. In addition, it affects culture, causes lasting results over time.
Is it useful in companies? Visibly, yes. Since the practice of mindfulness favors the human capital of a company and its peace, and therefore its productivity and the performance of its employees.
In the same way, it promotes a differentiated organizational model through the well-being and happiness of the workers. It is pertinent to mention some of the benefits of this extraordinary practice.
Mindfulness is a positive point for middle and senior positions in a company, as it allows them to be much more aware and promotes emotional intelligence. In addition, it favors relationships with attendees and, not least, helps to inspire from a shared perspective and enjoy higher self-confidence.
The well-being of employees is closely related to the success or failure of the company. In other words, if the workers feel happier, enjoy themselves and there is satisfaction in the organization in which they remain, they perform more.
Stress is closely linked to the tranquility and satisfaction of workers, it should be noted that they are opposites to each other. The International Labor Organization (ILO), exemplifying, has reported that union stress could take for granted losses of between 0.5% and 3.5% of the Gross Domestic Product of nations.
That is why mindfulness has been attracting the attention of executives who seek not only to motivate the productivity of their collaborators, but also to learn to manage stress.
Executing attention helps groups and leaders to develop a calm and attentive mind and in other key words to develop their Emotional Intelligence.
In addition, it allows the balance of the mind and enables individuals to be able to notice their own thoughts, emotions and attitudes and that helps them to have emotional balance, especially once obstacles arise, something that is created daily in companies .
This training of attention is key in the level of concentration and with it in the performance of your employees. In 2007 Google convened a group of Mindfulness, Neuroscience, Leadership and Emotional Intelligence experts with the intention of creating an internal training program called “Search Inside Yourself”.
Professionals such as Daniel Goleman, father of Emotional Intelligence, psychologist Richie Davidson, neuroscientist Philippe Goldin, business boss Marc Lesser and Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of the MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) procedure, provided their knowledge and advice to generate this procedure that enhances the Emotional Intelligence of Google workers.
This internal training is the most demanded by its employees and has shown a positive effect in areas such as concentration, creativity, commitment, participation and performance.
Focus is essential to good leadership because it allows you to listen actively, increase efficiency, focus on tasks, and manage time better. Since the core of mindfulness practice is staying focused in the moment, one of the main benefits for managers is that it helps them stay focused.
Therefore, several studies, some of which were carried out by researchers at Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), found that there is a direct relationship between the practice of mindfulness and increased concentration.
The practice of mindfulness optimizes communication skills such as active listening. Likewise, it improves internal communication in companies, since it helps to be more aware and makes forms of expression efficient.
Mindfulness makes it possible for people to be attentive to present situations with a mindset free of prejudice. That is, it enables connection with other individuals and promotes communication. Also, it helps to minimize the frequency of confrontations and benefits group cohesion, so essential for teamwork.
Mindfulness is very effective for emotional strengthening and well-being. People who carry out this practice have the possibility of being more relaxed and with a calm mind.
A clear body and mind provide a place to create new ideas.
Throughout this writing, a series of benefits provided by the practice are mentioned, which allow organizations to achieve greater productivity. This starts from the satisfaction of each of its members, since once the human capital is satisfied in the organization in which it provides services, the company notices it. Investing in employees is investing in organizational happiness
Although this may seem insignificant, the ability to analyze and solve situations or problems using tools developed through this practice is not easy to achieve. The best way to ensure that employees can work mindfully can be summed up as follows:
If indeed the goal is for all members of a work team to participate in this practice, then the first step is to teach them how to do it. It is ideal to offer introductory seminars without influencing your work schedule.
Using concrete examples to demonstrate that, in fact, the application of mindfulness will provide them with professional and personal improvements, which are also useful.
The best way to lead is to lead by example, especially when promoting the use of new tools in the workplace. Ask the helpers of the organization to put mindfulness into practice. However, if their direct leaders do not do it, it will be useless.
Meditation is an innate activity of man, it is the awareness of breathing. Doing so does not require instruments, it will suffice to lie down in a chair for a period of time no longer than 5 minutes. Then close your eyes, while paying full attention to the act of breathing.
By doing this, a series of emotions and feelings may appear and it is very natural for it to happen.
Also Read: Three Tips To Make Remote IT Teams More Efficient
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