- Better Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence (EI) affects the workplace at all levels, and mindfulness can help to improve it. By observing our experiences, without judgment, and responding from a place of clarity and compassion, we achieve more focus and this has numerous benefits, including:
- Better manager- employee relationships
- Stronger, healthier team dynamics
- Fewer rash decisions that can damage the business
- Healthier strategies for preventing or addressing conflict
- Creating a more positive work environment
- Improved Focus and Productivity
Mindfulness in the workplace plays a critical role at keeping a team sharp, by improving three features — stability, control and efficiency. It allows people to learn how to manage distractions. We operate in a 24/7 environment of constant distractions with email, smartphones, social media, the 24-hour news cycle and multiple projects and deadlines. It’s vital for the business that employees have the skills to put their focus where it’s needed most.
- Enhanced Creativity
Enhanced creativity can help develop new products, find innovative solutions to problems and manage processes in an effective way. Studies show people are at their most creative when they’re in a relaxed state. Relaxation allows people to look at problems differently, to consider the widest range of potential solutions and hone in on the right one. Encouraging mindfulness in the workplace can support a stronger creative process.
Mindfulness trains attention in a way that allows us to make the mind calm and clear on demand. At any time, whatever is happening — whether we’re under stress, being criticised, feeling angry, or anything else — we have the skill to bring the mind to a place of calmness and clarity.
Once we can do that, we lay the foundation for self-knowledge and awareness that over time leads to self-mastery. In tandem, we develop good mental habits. For example, there are the mental habits of compassion and kindness, of looking at every human being we encounter and thinking to ourselves, “I want this person to be happy.” Once that becomes a habit, you don’t have to think about it, it just comes naturally.