Best Health – August-September 2019

best health AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2019 55

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MIND OVER MATTER

THIS ISSUE: WORKING FROM OM

BIG BUSINESS UNDERSTANDS

the big-time benefits of mindful-

ness and meditation. “A lot of For-

tune 500 companies have mindful-

ness programs embedded in their

culture,” says Dr. Judy Turner, a

psychologist and meditation

teacher with Mindfulness Medita-

tion Toronto who has worked with

professionals ranging from emer-

gency room doctors to lawyers.

Meditation at the office is so effec-

tive that Google, Nike and Apple

have set up dedicated meditation

rooms in their workplaces because

employees who meditate regularly

are less stressed and more produc-

tive. It’s good for the workforce and

the bottom line.

No matter what you do for a liv-

ing or what kind of office you work

in, you can employ the principles of

mindfulness and meditation dur-

ing your day. Schedule a 10-minute

meditation in your calendar and

book a boardroom or just close your

office door to guarantee a few min-

utes of quiet. It can also be as sim-

ple as taking three deep, slow

breaths every time you switch

tasks, says Dr. Turner. “When you

walk to somebody else’s office,

that’s also a time when you can

practise mindfulness.”

Read on for the top three ways

that mindfulness and meditation

can boost your career.

ENHANCE FOCUS

A study from Harvard Medical

School found that meditation cre-

ates changes in areas of the brain

related to learning and working

memory capacity. This can lead to

better sustained attention on any

given task, from chairing a meet-

ing to fielding an important phone

call. Think of it as levelling up,

beyond the myth of multitasking,

to attain a laser-like focus that can

obliterate your to-do list. Being

able to zero in on the work at hand

can also help you look at problems

in a different way, which can

increase creative thinking.

BOOST PRODUCTIVITY

“When we’re focused, we’re always

more productive,” says Dr. Turner.

That goes for solo tasks, group

projects at the office and even staff

meetings. “When everybody

comes to a meeting stressed and

distracted, it’s very hard to be effi-

cient,” she says. But if everyone at

the table takes a few mindful

moments, a meeting can run very

differently. Dr. Turner says that a

real estate firm she coached

recently is a good example of this:

As a group, they started taking a

couple of minutes at the beginning

of meetings to put their phones

away, settle into their chairs and

take a few deep breaths to tune

into the present. “For something

that sounds so simple, it’s amazing

what a difference it’s made.”

Put the many benefits of mindfulness and meditation to work for you

during your 9-to-5 life | by KAREN ROBOCK

IMPROVE CONNECTIONS

There are several ways that regu-

lar mindfulness and meditation

can help us with our work connec-

tions. It can help us feel calm and

less reactive in general, which will

assist on a tense call with a client.

If we can keep things from getting

heated, that’s always more profes-

sional and conducive to cordial

working relationships. The prac-

tice of mindful listening can be an

invaluable tool, too. “Being able to

really give someone our full atten-

tion can be a huge advantage. It

reduces miscommunication and

fosters goodwill. Plus, the compas-

sion you learn to afford yourself

when practising mindfulness will

naturally extend to other people in

your life, including your co-work-

ers. “It lessens our judgment of

others, and work environments

benefit from that,” she says.

THE NEW POWER LUNCH

If you’re still nibbling on salads at your

desk most days, you’re missing out on an

opportunity to de-stress, recharge and

enjoy your midday meal. To eat mindfully,

focus on enjoying the food you’re eating as

you’re eating it. That may mean removing

distractions, stepping away from your desk

or finding a seat outside if the weather is

good, thinking only about eating your meal

and observing what’s around you. “Listen to

the birds, notice the leaves or flowers on the

trees and feel the warmth of the sun on your

face,” says Dr. Turner. “It’s really about being

in the present moment as that moment is

happening.” You’ll return to your desk ready

to tackle the rest of your day. bh