How To Bring Meditation Into The Workplace

HOW TO FIND TIME TO MEDITATE AT WORK VIV The chances are you're busy at work and feel stressed at least some of the time. But no matter how busy you are, making time for meditation will have a positive impact on both your productivity levels and your happiness. MEDITATION - WHY WE NEED IT ACCORDING TO RESEARCH BY THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION 48% of Americans say stress has a negative impact on both their personal and professional lives 42% admit to not doing enough to manage their stress 20% say they never engage in activity to help relieve the stress they experience However, taking just 15 minutes each day to mindfully meditate can help 15 subdue rising stress and anxiety, and the good news is that it's easy enough to practice it at work. MINUTES LEARN HOW TO MEDITATE AT WORK Successful meditation doesn't require sitting in silence for hours - it can be accomplished with just 15 minutes each day. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE? 2 minutes every hour DRINK WATER MINDFULLY BENEFIT Water is capable of calming, replenishing and grounding your mental state. As the human body is more than 60% water, it needs a regular supply to perform optimally HOW TO: 1. Pour a glass of water and observe how the water looks in the glass 2. Take a sip and hold it in your mouth. Notice the feel and temperature of the liquid WHY IT WORKS: 3. Swallow the water with intent and feel the The art of mindful drinking changes the habitual act and causes an internal wave of meditative experience. sensations in your throat HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE? 1 minute, 5 times a day FOCUS ON YOUR BREATH BENEFIT: Taking time out to focus on your breath will bring about calmness and control. HOW TO: 1. Every 90 minutes, set a timer for 1 minute 2. Close your eyes; inhale deeply and exhale slowly 3. At the end of the minute, gradually bring your attention back to the room WHY IT WORKS: Deep and even breaths have been proven to lower cortisol levels, which in turn reduces stress. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE? 15 - 30 seconds PRACTICE LOVING-KINDNESS MEDITATION BENEFIT: Thinking positive thoughts about others can leave you feeling more joyful and hopeful. HOW TO: 1. Send a loved one a well-wishing text on your lunch break 2. Hold positive thoughts for your family, colleagues WHY IT WORKS: or friends in your mind for 10-15 seconds at a time 3. Smile at colleagues at the end of the day and Studies show that the practice of loving-kindness meditation increases daily experiences of positive emotions and life wish them an enjoyable evening satistaction and reduces depressive symptoms. 4 HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE? 3-10 minutes SCAN YOUR BODY BENEFIT: Removing yourself from your busy work environment will give you the quiet space needed to meditate. HOW TO: 1. Find a quiet space or free room during your break 2. Sit or lie down and begin by focusing your WHY IT WORKS: attention on the sensations at the top of your head 3. Move your attention down your body one part at The body scan enables you to quickly but effectively get in a time, noticing any feelings touch with your body, let go of demands and release pent-up emotions. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE? 5-10 minutes RECORD MOMENTS OF HAPPINESS BENEFIT: Consciously acknowledging happiness takes the focus off of negative daily experiences. HOW TO: 1. When you find yourself feeling happy, stop and acknowledge it WHY IT WORKS: 2. Say to yourself "I am having a moment of joy!" A 2006 study found that people who recorded their positive 3. Write the experience down in a happiness journal experiences reported greater feelings of life satisfaction, with the effects lasting up to two weeks. Meditation isn't about making something happen, it's about being present in the moments you have. Try incorporating it into your work day and see how much more productive and centered you become. SOURCES Allan, G. D. (2014). The Google engineer teaching happiness in three steps. bbc.com American Psychological Association. (2015). Stress in America: Paying With Our Health. apa.org Bates, J. (2015). Mindfulness: a wonderful anxiety cure you ought to know. refinethemind.com Eisler, M. (2015). How to squeeze meditation into your busy schedule. chopra.com Fredrickson, B. L., Cohn, M. A., Coffey, K. A., Pek, J., Finkel, S. M. (2008). Open hearts build lives: positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. psycnet.apa.org Gladding, R. (2013). This is your brain on meditation. psychologytoday.com Mindful. (2012). The body scan practice. mindful.org Wing, J.F., Schutte, N.S., Byrne. B. (2006). The effect of positive writing on emotional intelligence and life satisfaction. onlinelibrary.wiley.com Young, K. (2015). Ask the experts - does meditation work for everyone? telegraph.co.uk e 00 This image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International License - www.creativecommons.org/icenses/by-sa/4.0 CashNetUSA. Money's on the waye