You must be wondering why is it necessary to meditate at your workplace? One positive change that has seeped into the corporate culture since Covid-19 wreaked havoc worldwide is the discourse on mental wellness. Companies have started taking into account the mental health of their employees after the anxiety-riddled year everyone has had. They have begun to deliberate on the best ways to integrate mental wellness practices like meditation and mindfulness in corporate culture.
There is an urgent need for accessible mental health facilities everywhere in the world. Meditation in the workplace can help support individuals struggling with their issues and strengthen the bonds between co-workers and increase productivity.
While it is still new in practice at the workplace, the benefits of meditation have been studied for a very long time. Here are some of the proven benefits of the practice:
1. Reduces Prejudice
Meditation has long been credited for enhancing compassion and empathy, and recent research has been showing promising results that it may have a positive effect on prosocial behaviour. We are also coming to know how group meditation helps build a feeling of togetherness among people. A healthy awareness of others is fundamental while managing a team or making intelligent decisions that will positively impact your company and society at the same time. While research is ongoing and these findings are still new, it seems they are on to something and this indicates why you should meditate at your workplace.
2. Improves Focus
Practising meditation and mindfulness has shown that it improves our attention span and decreases the tendency to get easily distracted. In the age of technology, where we are constantly exposed to content designed to keep us distracted, these practices can be just the solution we need. Research in Harvard Medical School has found that meditation leads to changes in the brain regions that are involved in working memory and learning.
This is an essential point why you should meditate at your workplace as working memory is vital for reasoning and decision-making, specifically in the workplace. Those who were in high-stress environments reported being able to manage their work better after practising meditation.
3. Improves Creativity
Meditation and mindfulness lead to improvements in creativity, problem-solving skills and divergent thinking. Research in the Netherlands at the University of Groningen has found that mindfulness reduces cognitive rigidity, leading to more creative thinking at work. This helps employees find innovative solutions for diverse problems at work. It is important to be bold and open to creative ideas at all times and that’s why it is necessary for you to meditate at your workplace.
4. Improves Mood and Decreases Stress
Consistent practice of meditation and mindfulness has a notable positive impact on our mood. The practices help reduce anxiety and severe depression. A study at Boston University showed that meditation and mindfulness programs cause significant reductions in levels of depression and anxiety across a whole range of conditions. It also improved positivity and patience. The daily practice would lead to optimism in the workplace and increase job satisfaction and this becomes crucial for you to meditate at your workplace.
It is no secret that stress can be the cause of a wide range of serious medical problems, including heart disease, hypertension, anxiety, depression and substance abuse. A study at Stanford University School of Medicine showed that those people who practice meditation display a decrease in symptoms related to stress. They also feel an increased sense of control.
Meditation has been helping mankind for centuries. Different cultures throughout the ages have practised it. The inclusion of mindfulness and meditation practices in the workplace will have countless benefits. Stress and anxiety at work can be crippling, and meditation can help in such times. Which of the benefits did you relate to most? Write to us in the comment section below and let us know.