How to Incorporate Mindfulness in the Workplace*

Mindfulness at work is a positive strategy proven to reduce stress, improve focus, and expand your wellbeing. Studies demonstrate that employers can help gain stability, productivity, and listening skills by offering mindfulness training and resources in the workplace. 

When discussing mindfulness at work, it is important to acknowledge that mindfulness centers on the concept of “being present in the moment”. From a more clinical perspective, it is a practice that encourages improved cognitive skills and stress reduction through psychological based-training and strategies. 

Individual Mindfulness

Individual mindfulness strategies include: 

• Breathing exercises to slow the heart rate and center the mind
• Body scans to identify sources of stress, pain, and where agitation in the body
• Journaling to help alleviate heightened emotions
• Stretching to help ground and center the mind and body 

Organizational Mindfulness

Other strategies that employers may utilize can offer a more structured approach to creating a culture of mindfulness. These strategies include:  

• Health Coaching - At Wellworks For You, part of our Employee Wellness Program includes either telephonic or digital health coaching. Mindfulness is one of many strategies that a health coach can offer. Through one-on-one sessions, employees can learn simple and practical strategies such as breathing techniques, meditation, and observation exercises to help encourage mindfulness at work.
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• Lunch and Learns - Another option to promote mindfulness in the workplace is to host Lunch and Learns. Offered by Wellworks, these events may be virtual or onsite. These events allow employees to gain real-time, applicable skills from an expert.  
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• Healthy Habit Challenges - Most people think of physical health when they consider wellness challenges. However, Wellworks offers a variety of challenges that focus on improving mental wellbeing and incentivizing mindfulness. 

6 Additional Benefits of Mindfulness in the Workplace You Don’t Want to Miss!

No matter how an employer delivers mindfulness at work techniques, the benefits are clear! Multiple studies show that by introducing mindfulness strategies into the workplace, everyone in the environment benefits—in several ways. Take a look!

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1. Stress Reduction - By practicing breathing exercises, journaling, and other mindfulness strategies at work, data reflects that employees can lower their blood pressure and even strengthen their immune system by practicing stress-reducing exercises.
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2. Pain Diminishment - People who utilize mindfulness meditation have reported less pain and continue to remain active despite experiencing pain.
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3. Relationship Cultivation - Individuals in the workplace who engage in active mindfulness build better relationships and often exhibit greater empathy and compassion (essential for positions in leadership)!
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4. Brain Booster - Memory, attention span, and focus are all benefits from practicing routine mindfulness.
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5. Mood Enhancement - Those who practice mindfulness effectively improve their mood, contributing to better workplace morale.
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6. Group Skills - While mindfulness practices help cultivate positive and healthy relationships, specific mindfulness techniques can encourage group skills and improved collaboration between co-working departments and teams.

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Curious about how you can maximize mindfulness in your workplace? 

At Wellworks For You, we’re always coming up with new approaches to help companies of all shapes and sizes accomplish their health and wellness goals. Mindfulness is simply one facet of how we can help businesses to increase productivity, educate employees, and create an overall healthy work environment. To learn more about our comprehensive workplace wellness programs or to set up a consultation call us anytime at 800-425-4657.