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MINDFULNESS IN THE
WORKPLACE
Sharon Leighton, PhD
Medical Information Consultant
Sharon Leighton Consultancy Ltd
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What mindfulness is & isn’t
Benefits of practice at work
Learning to be more mindful
How to be more mindful each day
Mindfulness in the Workplace
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3 parts to mindfulness practice
Yoga, Tai chi, Qigong
1. Movement
Breath meditation
2. Meditation
“Body scan”
3. Relaxation
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Emotional state
Time
Where we want to be
What we may avoid
Our life index
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Life ✔ & what about
at work?
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The past is history, the future a mystery & today is a gift, which is why it’s called the present
What is mindfulness?
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Learning to direct our attention to our experience as it unfolds,
with open-minded curiosity and
acceptance.
Trains us to respond skillfully to
whatever is happening right
now (not what has
happened or might happen)
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Learning not to make a
big deal out of anything
And what it isn’t
Meditation alone
Buddhism lite “New Age”
You’ll only think good thoughts
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Benefits of mindfulness practice
Less anxiety & depression
Better sleep
More focused and
alert
Emotional resilience
Social relationships
Brain changes
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Stress Management & Productivity
Time to practice! 30 seconds in silence, doing
nothing, and clearing your mind of thoughts
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Time to practice! Guided meditation
focused on your breath
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6 tips for practicing mindfulness
•Check in: “How am I today”
Start the day right
•Breath out
•Slow, deep breaths using a count of 5 for inhalation/exhalation
Feeling stressed?
•Focus on one task at a time
Don’t multitask
•Assign set times & timers
•Stay present
Avoid device distraction
•Mindful eating, driving or walking
•Engage your 5 senses
•What can you see, hear, smell, feel or taste?
Mindful movement
•Recognise others are suffering too
•Accept support
Practice compassion & equanimity
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How to learn mindfulness
8 Week Course
Apps + movement
class
Practice
Try a Taster session
Experienced, inspiring instructor
you can trust
e.g. Headspace, Mindful apps
+ Yoga or Tai Chi or
Qigong
Essential to keep practicing!
Join/start a group
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Mindfulness Resources
• Courses. bemindful.co.uk & www.sueweston.com
• TED talks
– Andy Puddicombe (Headspace)- 10 minute
mindfulness daily
– Brene Brown – Vulnerability
• iPhone/Android Apps, including
– Headstart, Mindfulness Daily
• At work – see mindful.net.org
• Books – Jon Kabat-Zinn, Pema Chödrön &
Michael Chaskalson – The Mindful Workplace
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Interested to know more?
email me for links (& handout):
Blog: www.sharonleighton.co.uk/news
& Medical Information & leadership articles
in my monthly newsletter
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What we crave What we get
focus
“thinking” time
stability
quality
multi-tasking
rushing, scanning
constant change
ruthless efficiency
tranquility stress and anxiety
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Is there a different way to do business
and still be successful (whatever that is)?
Mindfulness
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Value of mindfulness practice at
work
Increased performance & well being
Improve social relationships
in the workplace
More resilience in the face of
challenges
Self regulation of thoughts, emotions and behaviours
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Use in your workplace
Staying grounded
• Help to calm others around you
• Exude confidence
Coping with stress
• Famine & feast syndrome
• Being realistic about what you can do
• Forgiving yourself for mistakes
Compassion &
Equanimity
•Compassion for yourself & others
•Less judgmental of self & others
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Why did I start practicing mindfulness?
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Our working lives
distractions
data deluge
escalating expectations
email torrents
interruptions
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