Mindfulness in Business

BY STEVE GOODMAN

You probably remember your mother telling you to ‘mind your own business’ and those were wise words to live by - today there is a new wisdom sweeping boardrooms the world over; it’s known as mindfulness in business.

The concept of mindfulness traces its roots back to Buddhist philosophers of the 5th Century BC. It is a way of ‘living in the now,’ of being aware of each nuance of each moment, your feelings, your thoughts, your physical sensations and the environment around you.

Today, mindfulness has been finding its way into everything from stress reduction techniques, to fitness, to parenting, and now the corporate sector is also becoming aware of its positive impact on productivity.

Benefits of a Mindful Workplace Mindfulness, which is most often associated with ‘eastern’ techniques such as yoga, meditation, or Tai Chi, is now proving to be as valuable a skill to improve your business success, as it is to improve your mind, body and spirit! A recent study by the University of Toronto found that business owners, and high income earners who expressed a high degree of mindfulness, were less likely to make risky business decisions. They looked more at the big picture, and less on gaining immediate gratification at work, and were less likely to ‘get drunk on success.’

The list of large corporations that have adopted mindfulness programs as part of their work environment and ethics, reads like the Who’s Who of 21st Century innovators - Google, Apple, Sony, and Ikea, just to name a few.

Mindfulness is used as a medical therapy for stress reduction, and the treatment of anxiety and addictive behaviours. Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy, or MBCT, as it is called, has been proven to promote awareness, resilience, better problem solving and decision-making skills. Individuals who have undergone MBCT for various reasons, reported ‘doing better at work.’ They experienced improved job performance, reduced