Mindfulness and Innovation

Dr Nick Buckley

www.mindfulnessatwork.com

Mindfulness and Innovation

The Challenge

• Talking about something you “DO”

• We don’t have 4 weeks!so

• A ‘Taste’

• How you could apply it

What is Mindfulness?

What is Mindfulness?

“Mindfulness is the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgementally to things as they are

”Williams, Teasdale, Segal and Kabat-Zinn (2007)

Something that you DO

Mindfulness Practice

Structured to:

• Sustain attentional focus

• Learn the difference between thinking about versus experiencing sensations

• Observer mode - to see and relate differently to mental states such as boredom, restlessness etc..

Whose Mind is it Anyway?

How does it Work?

Psychology – Negative bias

Changing the Brain

Neuroscience Research

Studies show changes in brain structure & activity

• More activity in neural pathways associated with calm and well-being

• Less in those associated with anxiety, stress

• Thickening of the grey matter, protecting against age-related thinning of the cerebral cortex

Benefits

Sara Lazar et al, Harvard 2010

Increased attention regulation

– Better focus and concentration

Improved emotional regulation

– Better control over autonomic nervous system

Enhanced learning and performance

– Increased working memory capacity

Innovation?

• Non-judging

• Patience

•Beginner’s Mind• Trust

• Non-Striving

• Acceptance

• Letting Go

The

Critique

Of

Pure

Raisin

How was that?

• Non-judging

• Patience

• Beginner’s Mind

• Trust

•Non-Striving• Acceptance

• Letting Go

“”INNOVATE!INNOVATE!”

Non-Striving!

Breathing Exercise

Time

Engage

Stay Stay

Disengage

Shift Shift

Disengage

Engage

The Attentional Processes during a Mindfulness PracticeAdapted from: Williams 2010

Mindfulness at Work recommends

• Apps

– The Mindfulness App

– The Headspace App (headspace.com)

• Book

– Mindfulness: Finding Peace in a Frantic World.

(Penman & Williams, Oxford Institute)

• Websites

– www.franticworld.com (Penman & Wiliams again)

– www.mindfulnessatwork.com courses and resources