3 Ways That Mindfulness Enhances Performance

Enhanced performance in the workplace may be achieved by intensive training sessions - but neuroscience is showing that some time alone may be just as effective.

Of course I am not talking about functional training like learning how to write a report properly or process an insurance claim efficiently, but in more general terms about clarity of thought, decision making and handling pressure.

Neuroscience is showing how increased self-awareness can help us in many aspects of performance. Mindfulness is essentially a state of being actively focused on the present and major organisations like Google are taking notice: its 'Search Inside Yourself' program focuses on helping its staff members develop emotional intelligence through mindfulness.

Many of the benefits of meditation and mindfulness have been known for centuries. This knowledge is now entering the mainstream because advances in neuroscience enable researchers to better monitor brain activity and 'prove' these beneficial physical effects on the brain.

Following are three key ways mindfulness can help you in and out of the workplace.

Improve attention and focus

You don't have to suffer from ADD or a mental disorder to lack attention and focus. It happens to us all at times and it can have an incredibly negative impact on performance.

The process of meditation, where we clear our mind of its clutter and start to focus on the present through our 'breathing' for instance, is like training the mind. The mindfulness that results from this helps us bring our thoughts under control better and prevent them from straying; it may also help to minimise emotional distractions, because part of the meditation process is to recognise and acknowledge the emotions we are feeling and to let them go.

The process of becoming more aware of yourself and observing your thoughts and feelings will help you maintain self-control and self-regulate your actions, reducing the harmful effects of chaotic, distracting or stressful situations and bringing focus back to them. You will learn to recognise the signals when your mind is beginning to stray and then, through increased awareness, be able to correct this behaviour.

Lower stress and negative emotions

Neuroscience is awash with studies showing the calming effect of meditation on the brain and the lowering of stress levels.

Of course, the more that you practice the better you are able to control stress. With enough embedding of the techniques it will become second nature and, when faced with a potentially high stress situation, you will find yourself able to automatically slow down your breathing and routinely control your own response to the situation better.

This starts with the awareness of how you normally react in such situations - your pre-programmed behaviour if you like; practicing meditation will help you 'switch' to another mode when a similar situation arises, helping you to 'rewire' your brain to respond less emotionally and to recover faster from upsetting emotions.

David Vago of the BWH Functional Neuroimaging Laboratory at Harvard Medical School says:

"Through continued practice, the person can develop a psychological distance from any negative thoughts and can inhibit natural impulses that constantly fuel bad habits."

Improves decision-making and leadership

Mindfulness has the ability to strengthen the meta-cognitive, or executive functions, in the brain. The neural pathways that control our 'higher thinking' qualities are made stronger by meditation, and new pathways are created. This positively impacts our ability to make better decisions, because we are less likely to fall back on automatic, emotional, irrational responses that stem from the more primitive parts of our brain.

This is especially useful for leaders, who must often make quick and important decisions in times of upheaval and stress - the mental clarity and sense of control that comes from mindfulness is a valuable asset at these times.

One of the many advantages of learning mindfulness is that you don't have to spend months in a temple or monastery learning it. It will take time, but it can be learnt and practiced at home, and you will feel many of the benefits of meditating for 10 to 20 minutes a day almost immediately.

https://ezinearticles.com/?3-Ways-That-Mindfulness-Enhances-Performance&id=8662415