Mindfulness The unexpected path to success and wellbeing at work

Arrive

In Pairs: Mindful Listening What are some challenges in your work? 4

Why? 5

VUCA World Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous 6

Always On 7

47% 70% Average time spent mind-wandering Matt Killingsworth 10min TED talk Leaders report regularly unable to be attentive in meetings Killingsworth 2010; Mindful Leadership Institute, 2010 8

What to do? 9

Being Present Mindful Nation UK Report Mindfulness means paying attention to what s happening in the present moment in the mind, body and external environment, with an attitude of curiosity and kindness. 10

Autopilot Aware 11

The Science: Neuroplasticity What we think, what we do, and what we pay attention to changes the structure and function of our brains. 12

Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our happiness. Viktor Frankl 13

How? 14

3 easy steps 1 Train attention 2 3 Increase self-awareness and self-management Cultivate useful mental habits 15

3 easy steps 1 Train attention 2 3 Increase self-awareness and self-management Cultivate useful mental habits 16

Attention Training = Mind Training Attention The act or faculty of attending, especially by directing the mind to an object. Random House Dictionary Meta-Attention Attention of attention, the ability to know your attention has wandered 17

Let s Practice: Attention Training 18

Evidence based benefits of Meditation as a form of mind training: Increased social skills Stronger cognitive abilities Better overall health and wellbeing Increased emotion regulation Greater insight and innovation Enhanced focus Greater resilience 19

3 easy steps 1 Train attention 2 3 Increase self-awareness and self-management Cultivate useful mental habits 20

Self-Awareness Knowing one s internal states, preferences, resources and intuitions Daniel Goleman Goes beyond moment-to-moment insight Expands into a broader domain of self Starts with awareness of body sensations and emotions 21

Micropractice Self Awareness Name your mood 1) Become aware of your mood 2) Describe it to yourself by naming the experience 22

Self-Management Managing one s internal states, impulses, and resources Daniel Goleman Builds upon self-awareness Begin to identify and work with the emotional triggers From unbridled emotional reactivity to conscious responses 23

Compulsion Choice 24

Micropractice Self Management 5 Second Centering Exercise Posture: Sit or stand upright You are both at ease and ready for action Breathing in: Breathing out: Long and slow inhale. Feel the breath. Lengthening the upper body, let the crown of your head go towards the sky Long and slow exhale. Feeling gravity, let jaws and shoulders relax a bit adopted from Wendy Palmer 25

3 easy steps 1 Train attention 2 3 Increase self-awareness and self-management Cultivate useful mental habits 26

Useful mental habits Empathy Gratitude Joy 27

Cultivate useful mental habits Empathy Seeing similarities: Just like me Offering kindness: May they be happy Gratitude Journal Morning and/or evening: Three things that I am grateful for Joy Notice positive situations, feelings of joy: Extend noticing (5+ sec) & feel it in your body (5+ sec) 28

Micropractice Mental Habit 3 breaths setting an intention 1 st breath: Attention to breath 2 nd breath: Relax Body 3 rd breath: Ask yourself: what s important now? 29

Key points Attention Attention training is the foundation of all skills Self-awareness & Self-management Cultivate useful mental habits Knowing and managing one's internal states, preferences, resources, and intuitions We become what we think: Cultivate conditions that increase empathy, gratitude and joy 30

Reflections & Questions 31