Written by: Marissa Nicole Azucena, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Finding a work-life balance is one of the biggest challenges we face in our society today. When we pair that with the recent Pew Research Center study that showed that one-third of Americans have reported high levels of psychological distress throughout the pandemic, we can see that mental health is playing a huge role in the quality of our lives. Since 2020, we have seen a shift in focusing on and prioritizing mental health – and a great place for this to begin is in the workplace. According to Gettysburg College, it is estimated that we spend 90,000 hours of our life at work – or about one-third of our life. Because a person’s workplace often becomes like a second home, it’s imperative that companies are actively seeking out and integrating wellness practices into their work environments to support employees and their mental health.
A powerful practice that can easily be incorporated into any workplace, whether it is in an office building, hospital, or school is mindfulness and meditation. Below you can find more information on the benefits of bringing mindfulness and meditation into any workplace and some simple ways to integrate it into every workday. The act of slowing down and centering oneself through mindfulness and meditation can bring lots of benefits to anyone’s life. Positive effects from practicing mindfulness and meditation can be seen in just a few short weeks- and it doesn’t need to have a lot of time dedicated to it either. In fact, research has shown that just 5 minutes of meditation a day is enough to help clear the mind, boost brain function, improve mood, and reduce stress. Here are a few examples of how incorporating Mindfulness and Meditation into a workplace can be beneficial:
According to a multitude of studies, meditation can help to prevent stress and burnout. This can support employees and workers in any field to not feel overwhelmed at work and also prevent feeling burnt out. According to a poll taken by Gallup, a global analytics and advice, firm, it was found that workers are three times more likely to leave a job that they feel over-stressed at. By having resources in place at work like mindfulness and meditation, this can help with reducing high volumes of stress or burnout, especially in certain work environments like hospitals or for first responders.
Mindfulness improves creativity and productivity.
According to the American Psychological Association, meditation can boost memory which can be a huge plus in many workspaces.
Collaboration can be fostered and increased through group meditations.
Research shows that meditation and mindfulness help with emotional regulation. This can be especially beneficial in jobs where there are many interpersonal relationships or interactions with others on a day-to-day basis, such as customer service jobs.
Studies have shown that practicing Mindfulness and Meditation for even just a few weeks can have an impact on the brain. Here are a few simple ways companies and businesses can begin to incorporate Mindfulness and Meditation into their workplace:
Begin or end workdays, gatherings, or meetings with a short meditation. If done at the beginning of work, this can set a positive tone and mindset for employees. If it’s done at the end, this can help to wrap things up in a positive way and help to boost team morale despite what may have come up throughout the day.
Provide mindfulness and meditation “brain breaks”. Giving workers 15 or so minutes to go on a mindful walk, do some deep breathing, listen to music mindfully, or do a guided meditation can be a great reset that doesn’t take a lot of time but can change the direction of a workday or give employees a burst of energy or the chance to experience some much-needed stress relief.
Educate and provide programs for employees on mindfulness and meditation so they can begin to learn, cultivate, and implement their own mindfulness and meditation practices. By doing this, they will most likely not only feel the benefits in their work life but also in their personal lives.
Mindfulness and meditation are holistic approaches that can positively affect every area of our life, and these positive changes can start in the workplace. By providing employees with effective tools for stress reduction and the knowledge of how to slow down, we can begin to shift from a culture of high stress to one that prioritizes wellness and growth equally.
Marissa Nicole Azucena, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Marissa Azucena is a certified life coach and mindfulness and meditation teacher. She graduated from the University of San Francisco with a Bachelors in Psychology, and spent most of her time during undergrad doing research around the benefits of mindfulness and meditation. She currently runs her own business, Younique Coaching. She works with individuals on a one on one basis, offers group mindfulness and meditation classes, and also founded and is currently running a mindfulness and meditation program for a school in the California Bay Area. Her goal is to help others improve their lives through stress reduction techniques, life coaching, and positive psychology.
