Mindfulness for entrepreneurs and mindfulness in the workplace

It’s on everyone’s mind right now. But what exactly is mindfulness, and how can it benefit your business?

2020 isn’t the year anyone expected. It’s easy to feel out of control amid the unprecedented restrictions and decreased opportunities for face-to-face interaction.

So, why not take charge of something you can control? Practicing mindfulness in the workplace will help you achieve just that; free reign over your own mental space.

You might have read our productivity tips to boost your efficiency while working at home, but now it’s time to take a step back and slow down—let’s focus on you.

So, what is mindfulness, exactly?

It’s a mindset that allows you to focus on the present objectively, to make more rational and non-emotionally driven decisions. It’s all about accepting and making the best of your circumstances. Mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques can turn your work worries into a clear and focused frame of mind—allowing you to do business, better.

Incorporating mindfulness in the workplace can help you with:

• Anxious thoughts
• Open-mindedness
• Depressive symptoms
• Cognitive abilities
• Distractibility.

Any of these sound familiar? If your answer is ‘yes’, you’re not alone!

In fact, mindfulness is a trending phenomenon for entrepreneurs because of its proven health and mental benefits. It’s being adopted by business owners everywhere, so it must be doing something right! Jump on the mindfulness bandwagon and see how it’s helping others like you.

What can the power of mindfulness for entrepreneurs help you achieve?

Studies show that mindfulness practices improve your ability to process information by increasing the grey matter density in your brain, along with reducing those distracting ‘fight-or-flight’ cortisol levels bouncing around.

But how does all of this benefit you and your workplace? Regular practice of mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques will allow you to:

• Exceed your own expectations. Mindfulness reduces mind-blocks, burn-out and writer’s block. It gives entrepreneurs their groove back—helping them to get the creative juices flowing again. In fact, by harnessing the power of mindfulness, you won’t only return to the business-running beast you were pre-pandemic; it’ll help you excel beyond your usual workplace self.

• Unleash newfound creativity. No matter what your field is in any industry—chances are a fresh wave of creative thinking can take you to the next level. Practicing mindfulness when you’re in a rut will help you think outside the box and come up with solutions you may have never thought possible.

• Create positive thinking. It’s natural to feel overwhelmed sometimes as an entrepreneur. When you find yourself getting caught in that downward spiral of negative thoughts, mindfulness just might be able to pull you out of it. Change the way you think naturally by teaching yourself new, mindful habits in the workplace. Everything is easier with an optimistic outlook.

• Make better decisions. Practicing mindfulness at work helps you achieve clarity when you need it most. Think of it as a gateway to shower thoughts…at your desk. With increased awareness comes more sensible and thoughtful choices. Others will appreciate your balanced approach to workplace tasks and decisions.

Looking for mindfulness techniques to practice in the workplace? Here’s 3 tools to get you started.

You’re probably thinking right now that mindfulness sounds great! But how exactly can you practice it at work and start gaining these benefits? Luckily, mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques aren’t hard to learn or incorporate into your daily routine.

Here’s some ways to be more mindful in the workplace:

• Practice mindfulness meditation. I’ve mentioned this term earlier, so you may be wondering what it means. It simply involves taking short periods of time out of your workday to calm down and focus.

You can do it from the comfort of your workstation by straightening your chair and relaxing your body. Make sure your feet are flat on the floor and your upper body is straight, but comfortable. For beginners, it’s best to close your eyes to reduce distractions.

Start breathing more slowly, deeply, and rhythmically, and draw your attention to how this feels. The goal is to focus only on your breathing, but it’s OK if your mind wanders—that’s normal.

After a short time, allow yourself to be more aware of your environment again. Then move on with your day. You should be feeling more relaxed and focused at the same time!

For a more in-depth look at mindfulness meditation, check out this guide. Alternatively, you can download the Smiling Mind app if you’d prefer to follow a guided meditation.

• Stay present in the moment. This is something you can practice whenever you think about it. The aim to staying present is to ground yourself and focus on what’s happening in the here and now.

You can do this by concentrating on your immediate surroundings. What can you hear, smell, see, feel, and touch? If you’re on your lunch break, for example, take the time to really appreciate how it tastes, how it smells, and how fulfilling it is.

• Commit to it for 66 days. Like anything new, you’ll find that the more you do it, the better you’ll become. Once you’ve got your head around the two techniques above, make sure you cement them into your daily work routine.

According to a 2020 study, it takes a person 66 days on average to commit to a new habit. So, to start chipping away at breaking in your new mindfulness practices, set reminders for yourself throughout the workday (such as alarms on your phone)—and stick to them!

Because mindfulness is intangible, it may seem unachievable. That’s simply not the case! Once you’ve tried out the above techniques a few times, you’ll have the basics down pat. Sit back, let go of your distractions, and watch your business flourish!

You’ll be amazed at what a clear mind can achieve.

Looking for more tips to help you self-care while working from home? Check out our article here.

Servcorp’s here to help entrepreneurs like you ease the load. We understand the stresses of work—especially during the untested waters of 2020 you’re currently navigating—can often be overwhelming.

Enjoy a change of scenery and a place to focus for up to 3 hours per day with our virtual workspace access.

There you have it, the more effective and productive you are, the more time you spend with family, playing with the dog, video calls with your friends or binging TV shows. Make the most of your day and stay positive. There will be an end to this pandemic, now let’s invest in ourselves and make the most of our time working from home.

Has your office considered a virtual office set up to telework as a team? Working from home could become the new normal for your team during this time. Virtual office services are a smart and cost-effective solution for managing a business' administrative requirements. Let us worry about the details while your team get on with the business of expanding your company without expensive overhead costs.