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Discover How Mindfulness Can Make Drastically Positive Shifts in Your Physical and Emotional Health
Research has shown that people who are more mindful are generally happier and report less anxiety, symptoms of depression, anger, and worries. A higher degree of mindfulness is also associated with reduced stress and increased gratitude, hope, and vitality.
So if practicing mindfulness holds such powerful potential for our wellbeing, why aren’t we all doing it every day?
The reason is that we often need more guidance and support than simply downloading an app. We need to better understand the underlying processes and research behind mindfulness.
According to studies and the international literature, Mindfulness is considered as the "the workout of the mind".
As you strengthen the muscular system in your body, with repetitions and weight lifting, your mind practices when it focuses on an object, in the present moment (e.g. your breath, a sound etc) or on an activity (e.g. reading , eating, working, talking, listening, etc.). That is, your attention is focused on an experience, in the present moment, without criticism. It needs, of course, regular practice and repetition, just like in the physical exercises.
Why does the mind need to be exercised?
Because according to neurobiology, the mind in 50% of the day, looks back to the past and is thrown into the future, thus losing the present.
In a difficulty, it looks to the past in similar situations and usually predicts an ominous future, or brings out the anxiety again, based on the old experience and not the real circumstances, in the present. This is why we often feel anxiety, stress, tension, which slowly becomes chronic stress, with negative consequences, on our health.
Mindfulness is applied, with Mindful Attention and Meditative practices. That is, you focus your attention on an experience, and you observe your thoughts, your feelings, your physical sensations, how your body reacts, in the present moment, with curiosity and without criticism.
To do this, you first need to learn to practice the mind, in the present and this is initially done easily, with Mindful Meditation.
This way you manage more calmly the challenges and difficulties and you find alternatives and solutions.
It seems simple, but in reality it is much more difficult, because as I mentioned before, the mind wanders, during 50% of the waking time. That is, we are used to doing something while we think and feel something else. For example, when we are frustrated, we might crave for food and eat excessive amount of food, without realizing it and we then feel guilty and disappointed.
Mindfulness at work is an OPPORTUNITY, that helps you transform old habits, in order to feel better, strengthen your concentration and find meaning, at work.
A good friend of HolMinD® wrote to me, very aptly, that there is a lot of time pressure in most jobs and it is probably impossible to apply Mindfulness.
It is really difficult to suddenly change the way we do things, to change our thoughts, our habits and our behaviors.
However, it is a Choice, for a calmer and happier Life.
It only requires, to regular apply it, even for 2-3 minutes/day, 6 days a week.
You can practice, wherever you are, without requiring much time.
As an example, of mindful approach, I will mention the case where, one of your colleague is talking to you and you, while you are there, you think of something else and then you ask her/him back what he said or you do not remember what she/he said to you.
A Mindful approach may be that you choose to listen to him with all your attention and it may need less time for your conversation or if you a busy, you can say "Sorry, I cannot now" and then allocate a time later for your discussion. This way the speaker will feel valued and you will reduce the risk of misunderstanding.
Another example is when we eat a snack fast and standing. You eat a snak or a dessert, but at the same time you think about what you will do next.
The Mindful approach does not require more time. You just decide to sit down and eat at the same speed, as long as you are focused on what you eat, looking at the colors, smelling the aromas and savoring the flavors. You then enjoy your snack, you probably eat less and you are practicing mindfulness in the present moment.
As I mentioned, the mind is constantly thinking, but many times has negative thoughts. Studies show that of those things that stress and concern you, 95% will not happen, 5% are likely to happen and finally 1% occurs.
Mindful Approach: Exercise your mind, to be more present. You can choose to listen to two Peter Hess® sound meditations, depending on the time you have, CLICK HERE.
Frequent peaceful breaks during the day, reduces the reaction of the amygdala, which is the center of fear and tension in the brain and you become less tense and more productive.
With gratitude to life
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This article is for informational purposes only. It does not provide medical advice and it is not a substitute for a professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.