Mindfulness has become a popular concept in the Western World in the last decade and can be carried out in many ways, for example: meditation, yoga or a walk in the countryside.
In this article, I discuss what mindfulness is and how it can benefit employees during a crisis.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the practice of being present in the moment and paying attention to your thoughts, feelings, and environment without judgment.
It‘s been part of Eastern religions and traditions for many centuries but has been gaining popularity globally in recent years due to its many benefits which include reducing stress, increasing focus, and improving overall well-being.
Mindfulness can be practised anywhere and at any time throughout the day, whether it’s through a structured mindfulness programme, mindfulness meditation or simply taking a few moments to observe your surroundings and, although it can be done without support, it’s used effectively by professional coaches to assist with personal fulfilment.
Mindfulness or meditation?
Mindfulness and meditation are two practices that are often confused with each other. While both have the goal of helping people become more aware of their thoughts, feelings, and emotions, they are two distinct practices that require different approaches.
Mindfulness is the practice of being present in the moment and observing one’s thoughts and feelings without judgement. Meditation on the other hand is an intentional practice of focusing on a single object or activity in order to achieve a state of relaxation and inner peace, which can be used in mindfulness techniques. Mindfulness is however much broader in its application. Any activity which provides an opportunity to provide space and time to quieten a busy mind can be considered as mindfulness.
The benefits of mindfulness during a crisis
Mindfulness has many benefits that make it perfect for use as part of an executive coaching or leadership programme. Besides the familiar benefits of reducing stress and improving mental health, it also helps senior managers during a crisis to clear their heads in order to make better decisions.
Many people in a leadership position can feel overwhelmed with the pressures and workload, and this often leads to a mind that’s racing away with thoughts on different things that need to be done, and different ways to handle them.
Unfortunately, this can lead to indecisiveness and frustration which can also hugely impact the business at a time of crisis such as an emergency situation or when the business is underperforming.
Practising mindfulness and getting the support of an executive coach helps to clear away the clutter of thoughts and to focus on one thing at a time.
The result? Faster, effective decision-making and less procrastination, which provides better outcomes for individuals and organisations.
It also leads to better mental health and happier team members with benefits such as lower staff turnover and lower absenteeism, as well as higher productivity.
Executive coaching and support for mindfulness can be performed remotely over a video call or face-to-face, whichever is most convenient. When working with an executive coach, leaders can discover what approaches work best for them and how it builds their mental and physical resilience, supporting them and their teams mental wellbeing.
Better executive development
Regardless of the situation, , mindfulness can play a supporting role in executive development and should be considered as part of executive coaching.
When working with an executive coach, engaging with mindfulness can be part of the overall action plan for becoming a better, more effective leader.
Professional coaching can make the difference between just knowing what mindfulness is and making it an effective practice that helps individuals and teams to get the right results.
Two issues that many people have with mindfulness are knowing how to perform it and making sure that it’s practised regularly.
A leadership coach can provide insights on the best practices and assist with accountability to allow mindfulness to become a daily habit, even if it’s only practised for a few minutes each day.
If you would like to know more about executive coaching and mindfulness please get in touch.
If you or your business would benefit from the support of a highly trained and qualified leadership coach, I will be very happy to discuss either on a face-to-face or online basis...
Call me, Wendy Sutherland today to find out more on Executive Mindfulness Coaching.
