The 5 benefits of Mindfulness in the operation of companies

These are the advantages that the regular practice of Mindfulness brings to companies.

Mindfulness is one of the therapeutic tools with more potential, and that is why in recent years more and more psychology professionals are incorporating it into their work.

However, one of the characteristics of this form of intervention is that the areas in which it can be applied are not restricted to therapy sessions with people with emotional disturbances or psychological disorders. For example, its positive effects are also felt in the business world.

In this article we will see a summary of the main benefits of Mindfulness in the context of companies and organizations in general..

The advantages of Mindfulness in the corporate world

What we know today as Mindfulness, also sometimes called Mindfulness, is a set of practices characterized by inducing a state of consciousness that has therapeutic effects, although not only in people with diagnosable psychological problems.

These practices are inspired by certain variants of traditional meditation from the Indian subcontinent and surrounding areas, which have more than a thousand years of history; however, Mindfulness is not linked to religion, but has been developed scientifically and secularly to provide objective solutions to specific problems.

Many of these problems and needs are of great relevance in the context of business and organizations in general, as we shall see.

Thus... What are the most important benefits that Mindfulness brings to companies and to the management and coordination processes that take place in them? Let's see it below.

1. Helps manage stress

This is one of the main purposes for which Mindfulness was designed in the first place. Mindfulness practices help keep excess stress at bay, among other things because it helps us to let go of intrusive and recurring thoughts that come into our consciousness once we are aware of them. that come into our consciousness time after time and bring stress or anxiety. It has the effect of a kind of mental "reset", at least as far as negative emotions are concerned.

2. It makes us more likely to work in a structured way.

Mindfulness leads people to reconquer their power of decision about what they should focus on. This leads to a more sensible and rational vision of what the priorities should be at any given moment, instead of giving in to the desire to postpone indefinitely the tasks that we do not want to do indefinitely.instead of giving in to the desire to postpone indefinitely the tasks that are the most burdensome, for example.

3. It favors the diminution of the conflict

There are conflicts that are totally avoidable and are produced mainly by the existence of a bad working environment or by the accumulated tension throughout the working day. Mindfulness makes us less likely to get involved in ego fights or to suffer explosions of anger, and helps us to think about the medium and long-term consequences of our actions.

4. It is a healthy way to release tension

Many bad habits are actually an alibi to "cover up" negative feelings through actions that bring us immediate but fleeting pleasure: going out to the terrace to smoke, going to the soda and food machine etc. Mindfulness practices are good substitutes for these actions, and have no harmful side effects..

5. Gives the opportunity for team building

Training teams in the use of simple Mindfulness practices is relatively easy. These acts help to maintain group cohesion through collective activities linked to positive feelings and calm.

Learning Mindfulness for business people and managers

From the team of the psychological assistance center Psychologists Majadahonda we offer Mindfulness training courses specially designed for professionals in charge of teams: managers, department heads, HR technicians, and similar profiles.

Throughout these courses it is possible to learn the theoretical and practical foundations of Mindfulness, focusing on its implications in the world of organizations and work, and the way in which its potential can be exploited in the dynamics of creating a good working environment, stress management, etc.

This initiative is part of the Mindfulness training programs that we carry out in parallel to the psychotherapy services, through group sessions with small groups. You can see more information about our center and about the courses we carry out by accessing this page.

Bibliographical references:

• Carroll, M. (2007). The Mindful Leader: Ten Principles for Bringing Out the Best in Ourselves and Others. Boulder: Shambhala Publications.
• Hassed, C.. & Chambers, R. (2014). Mindful learning: reduce stress and improve brain performance for effective learning. Gosford: Exisle Publishing.
• Kabat-Zinn, J. (2013). Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness. Nueva York: Bantam Dell.
• Meditation classes raise attorneys mindfulness (2009). New Orleans CityBusiness.
• Sharma, M.; Rush, S.E. (2014). Mindfulness-based stress reduction as a stress management intervention for healthy individuals: a systematic review. Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine, 19(4): pp. 271 - 286.
• Vonderlin, R.; Biermann, M.; Bohus, M.; Lyssenko, L. (2020). "Mindfulness-Based Programs in the Workplace: a Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials". Mindfulness. 11(7): pp. 1579 - 1598.