10 Tips to Encourage Mindfulness in the Workplace

Regardless of the industry, you are in, mindfulness plays a considerable role. If your employees are too stressed, it may affect their decision-making abilities and overall productivity. Mindfulness in the workplace can save your employees from negative thoughts and emotions and allow them to focus on the present.

Encourage Mindfulness in the Workplace 

Even your managers can produce profitable outputs if they can master mindfulness. Studies suggest that the human brain can be rewired through such mindfulness practices. Hence, if you wish to make a positive change in your company's work culture and create a stress-free environment for your managers and employees, then here are ten steps that will help you encourage Mindfulness in the Workplace.   

1. Meditation  

While meditation is an effective way of practicing mindfulness in general, it can also be used to promote Mindfulness in the Workplace. Meditation promotes calmness and improves physiological balance, thereby improving your overall health. Hence group meditation sessions are an excellent method of encouraging mindfulness at work.  

Besides promoting social interaction in the Workplace, meditation can also help an individual develop a positive outlook on life. It is also one of the easiest methods of relieving stress and tension at your Workplace, thereby improving your decision-making abilities. Meditation can also help in building a more resilient workforce. It can also help with negative feelings like anxiety, depression, or emotional exhaustion.  

2. A Quiet and Peaceful Space 

It is difficult to practice mindfulness in a busy and noisy environment. Hence, several companies are creating quiet workplace spaces to promote employees' mental well-being. Often termed as 'recharge rooms', these spaces are usually free from distraction or noise and have ambient lighting and comfortable seating options. Employees can also stretch themselves or practice yoga in these rooms.  

Such spaces help people recharge themselves by taking them away from their hectic work-life schedule, making them less stressed and improving their overall mood. Once people are relaxed and recharge themselves, they are likely to feel much more motivated, which can be reflected in their output and performance. Since these spaces reduce stress, employees are also less prone to absenteeism. 

3. Reminders 

Despite their heavy workload, employees need to be reminded to be mindful. Hence, you can create reminders for your teams to practice mindfulness at work. These reminders can be in the form of goal-setting exercises or encouragement.

You can encourage your employees to find purpose and make their work meaningful. You can also ask them to focus on one project at a time instead of juggling multiple tasks. Remind them to take small breaks from work to stretch their bodies.  

Read: Why Entrepreneurs Must Protect Themselves from Negativity through These Mindfulness Strategies

4. Mindfulness Courses   

You can also introduce your team to the various mindfulness courses available. Such courses can make your employees understand the value of workplace mindfulness. These courses are available in several forms, like apps, online courses, and mindfulness-based programs. They can be targeted toward people who are facing different types of issues.

From mental health to eating habits to parenting, these courses address various kinds of mental challenges that people face regularly. These days you may also enroll your employees in meditation centers where you can get the benefits of meditation from professional guides and certified instructors 

5. Free App Subscriptions 

While there are several meditation app subscriptions that you can provide your employees, they can be on the expensive side. However, many free-to-use meditation apps can get the necessary results without burning a hole in your pocket.

However, you must make sure about the app you are about to recommend to your employees. Apart from its customer ratings and features, try to review its reviews to determine whether it is compelling enough.  

6. Walking Sessions 

Long walks are not just crucial for physical benefits, but they can also have a positive impact on your mental health. Employees can refresh their minds by taking short walks outside the office, preferably in a garden. To practice a mindful walk, you must focus on your movements and all kinds of sounds and activities around you. Try to focus on each step that you take. A ten-minute mindful walk can reset your mind for the rest of the day.   

7. Practice Mindfulness Yourself  

You may speak about being mindful or encourage others to take mindfulness courses or join meditation centers. Still, it will not make any difference unless your employees see you practicing mindfulness. Hence instead of discussing such practices, try to lead by example. Try to lead a healthy lifestyle by taking care of your fitness.

To achieve mindfulness at work, you must have a sound mind and a healthy body, two integral aspects of any good leader. You must also learn to be patient and try and create a stressful work environment. Finally, try to educate your employees about the importance of mindfulness at work.  

8. Provide Breaks  

To encourage workplace mindfulness, you must promote the habit of taking breaks. Employees may often feel mentally exhausted due to their hectic schedules, which can be reflected in their underperformance. Therefore, providing small breaks during work hours saves your employees from burnout and boosts their productivity.

Breaks can be highly beneficial for clearing the minds of negative emotions like depression, anxiety, or stress. Besides increasing your productivity, it also helps your body recharge and relaxes. Employees can also use those breaks to interact, increasing employee engagement. Ultimately, all this boils down to the better mental health of your employees.  

Read Also: 6 Tips to Prevent Burnout - WomLEAD Magazine

9. Incorporate Mindfulness in Meetings  

Meetings are an integral part of any organization. While in most cases, meetings are often rushed where people raise from one topic to another, they can provide an ideal setting where you can encourage mindfulness in the workplace.

You can incorporate practices like meditation pauses or breathing exercises at the start of the meetings. You can also inquire about your employees' well-being or ask them to share the things they are grateful for.  

10. Discuss Mindfulness  

Finally, as an employer, you must initiate conversations regarding mindfulness with your employees. Inform them about the various benefits of mindfulness in the Workplace. Apart from discussing, try to put your words into practice by designating time slots and suitable areas where they can achieve mindfulness within the Workplace. Such conversations promote mindfulness at work and make you come across as an employer who values your employees' mental well-being.  

These are some of the most common ways to encourage mindfulness in the workplace.