At work can seem like the hardest place to practice mindfulness given the many demands and responsibilities we have to manage on a daily basis. Under such circumstances being present and focused can feel like a luxury or indulgence that’s not really practical in a world of pressing deadlines, never ending multi-tasking and huge project piles.
Yet in the office is where we stand to really benefit from being mindful.
Rasmus Hougaard, a teacher of mindfulness meditation and the director of The Potential Project, is a strong advocate of corporate based mindfulness training.
Hougaard says many global companies are now prioritising mindfulness in their workplaces because they recognise their overworked staff are struggling as they suffer from a combination of burnout and chronic distractedness.
The good news is there is hope, and the word for it is "neuroplasticity". If you're a regular reader of my blogs, you'll know that the brain's capacity for change is immense in that "we have a lot of potential to change a busy stressful work life into something greater: clear minded, focused, efficient, happy and kind," says Hougaard.
Hougaard says it’s not hard to learn about mindfulness. There are squillions of books on the topic, and many qualified teachers for personalised instruction. Hougaard also recommends the ABCD model, which he helped develop. He explains it this way:
The A stands for anatomy, and is about positioning the body just so during the formal practice of mindfulness.
The B stands for breathing or the breath, which is the anchor our attention needs to focus on to stop the mind from wandering.
The C stands for counting, an aid to help you stay with the breath.
The D stands for distractions, the thoughts that pop into your mind and can so easily distract you from your breath.
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Category(s):Mindfulness, Workplace Issues
Source material from Happy Well
