By: Payton Wright
During a time where self-help is an emerging trend, you have probably been force fed the idea of how important it is to practice mindfulness through meditation app advertisements, social media influencers, or that person you used to know in high school’s Facebook posts. And although I admit it is easy to brush off these assertions the fact of the matter is – practicing mindfulness yields positive results. That means being a better friend, a better student, and in terms of the internship hunting sophomore and juniors or soon-to-be-UMass-graduates, a better employee. Mindfulness is the basic ability we all have within us as humans to be fully present, aware of who we are, where we are, and what we are doing. So, you get it, somehow this mindfulness thing has the potential to improve your life, but let’s take a look at a few examples of exactly how.
Goodbye Distractions
Wandering thoughts and distractions are something that seemingly everyone suffers from. It can be difficult to stay focused on one thing at a time, especially in a society where notifications are dinging off everyone’s phones 24/7. Other than the obvious consequences of mind wandering like wasted time and incomplete goals, research has shown that people are less happy when their mind is not present. However, studies have also shown that practicing mindfulness reduces mind wandering (and in turn decreases unhappy moods). Less mind wandering means more time spent being productive resulting in a more efficient workday that ends with you leaving feeling accomplished!
Get Those Creative Juices Flowing
If you think about it, it makes sense that a clear head makes way for a more creative mindset. When you are mindful, you root out the negative thoughts which makes room for ideas to roam around your head more freely. Ravi S. Kudesia, the author of Mindfulness and Creativity in the Workplace, explains the relationship between the two by stating that mindfulness “builds unique cognitive abilities that enable creativity in individuals that otherwise would be trapped in conventional ways of interpreting their world.” We live in a world that thrives off innovation, no matter what industry you are in or position you hold, thinking outside the box will set you apart and allow you to reach new heights!
Be in Control of Your Emotions
Being able to understand and process your emotions will not only help you be a better co-worker, but it can give you the interpersonal skills necessary to become an effective leader. When you practice mindfulness, you gain insight to your own mind and increase awareness to your body by simply taking the time to pay attention to the thoughts and motions you go through every day. By being better able to understand your own emotions, recognize those of the people around you, and improve the ability to control and use your emotions correctly you can expand your emotional intelligence. All of which will enable you to be a solid team-player and a more understanding and patient leader.
Whether this post sold you or not on the benefits of mindfulness is not the point. But I hope that through reading this that you at least got to thinking about how much attention you currently pay to your own brain and body. To be the best friend, sister, daughter, employee, the best YOU has to start from a place of pure determination in yourself to start making conscious decisions that will better your life. Mindfulness is innate, all you need to do is pay attention.
Inspiration:
https://www.behavioralessentials.com/the-benefits-of-mindfulness-in-the-workplace/