Mindfulness and Productivity
Mindfulness is the buzzword of the moment, but while we might be aware that we ought to be practising it, do we really understand the benefits? How can mindfulness help us?
This article outlines just a few ways in which mindfulness – the act of focused awareness on the present moment – can help us become more focused and productive in our everyday work and social lives.
Prevents distraction
We have all been there … sat at our desks typing away on a report or flicking through emails, while also pondering what to have for tea or scheduling when you can fit in a visit to the gym or who will pick the kids up from their sport club tonight. Distraction is the number one barrier to productivity. Our mind often wanders and worries about a number of things at the same time. We live in a society where we are connected to so many sources of information, often leading to information overload. But to focus, mindfulness can help us work on one task at a time with all of our energy and undivided attention and get the task done before moving on to the next.
Reduces stress
Mindfulness is a great stress reducer and it is proven that stress is detrimental to work productivity. Sometimes our mind exaggerates issues in our lives so that they suddenly seem bigger than they are and begin to spiral out of control. Before we know it, we are paralysed by this stress and negative thinking. Stress is detrimental to productivity. While a small amount of the ‘fight or flight’ mentality and the cortisol hormone can help boost short term alertness, it is not a long term solution.
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