Mindfulness is a word that we’ve all become more acquainted with in today’s world as mental health has shifted from the back burner to a front-facing priority. Mindfulness can involve our environment, the people around us, ourselves and our thoughts. We now know that this idea of becoming more in tune with ourselves offers a wealth of benefits. Beyond easing your mind and providing inner peace, learning how to practice mindfulness can also have a positive impact in other areas. It can benefit your physical health, relationships and professional life. Many of the world’s most successful people exercise mindfulness. This practice enables them to improve their focus, productivity, resilience and decision-making skills.
Mindfulness and learning how to enhance focus are abilities we are all capable of. But, truly harnessing its power takes continuous practice. Luckily, there are techniques you can adopt to seamlessly incorporate mindfulness into your life so that it will stick with you well into the future.
Related: Why Mindfulness Is The Ultimate Habit For Success
What Is Mindfulness And Why Does It Matter?
Mindfulness can mean many different things and can manifest in a multitude of ways. But, at its core, it is the ability to be fully aware of the present moment without judgment. The components of paying attention, on purpose and with a lack of judgment, are key to being successful at this practice.
Mindfulness Helps Us Stay Present And Gain Clarity
According to Alexa Bonacquisti, PhD, PMH-C, a psychologist and assistant professor at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, our brains tend to “time travel.” This means we are commonly hung up on things from the past or, conversely, we’re worrying about the future. Mindfulness brings us back to real time. Here, we can acknowledge our thoughts and feelings. But, instead of labeling them as positive or negative, we are simply taking them at face value. Bonacquisti explains that this allows us to see things more clearly, fully engage and even reconnect to our purpose and values.
Mindfulness Can Help Reduce And Manage Stress
Mindfulness is also valuable because it has been shown to reduce stress. Neuroscience research has shown that mindfulness dampens activity in our amygdala and increases connections between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex. These areas of the brain help us to better manage the way we react to stress. In a 2021 study from Frontiers in Psychology, this is seen in action. The results from the study of 400,000 participants showed that mindfulness was associated not only with lower perceived stress but also with higher work engagement.
Since stress management is crucial for regulating your emotions, maintaining good cognitive performance and more, mindfulness can be highly beneficial to our everyday lives.
Related: How Successful People Beat Stress
Benefits Of Practicing Mindfulness For Success
Mindfulness can help you in all facets of your life, allowing you to be more grounded and emotionally aware. But, it also has many applications specifically in the professional world. Mindfulness practices for professionals can allow you to find more success in your career for the following reasons:
- Reduced Stress: Mindfulness allows you to better manage your reactions to pressure and stressors, leading to more sustained performance.
- Enhanced Focus & Productivity: By reducing distractions and focusing only on the here and now, you can improve your concentration and work output.
- Increased Resilience: A better mindset helps you to see the big picture and bounce back quickly from setbacks.
- Better Decision-Making: Eliminating the perception of what is “good” and what is “bad” in terms of your thoughts, feelings and sensations can help with decision-making. It allows you to find clarity more quickly and make thoughtful choices.
- Improved Relationships: A clear mind allows you to be more present in your communications and helps you to foster empathy for those around you.
Simple Mindfulness Techniques For Daily Practice
Thinking about how to learn mindfulness can feel daunting, but you don’t have to be a guru or meditation expert to reap its benefits. All you need is a little bit of time and some guidance. Use these mindfulness practices to help you learn how to enhance focus and kickstart your journey of awareness.
- Mindful Breathing: Intentionally focus on your breath for at least a few minutes to stop your mind from wandering. Really take note of your inhales and exhales and the rise and fall of your chest.
- Body Scan Meditation: Starting from your toes, examine each of your body parts individually, checking for pain, tension or abnormalities. This can help you connect to your body and assess how you are feeling.
- Mindful Observation: Beyond just yourself and your body, take mental note of all the things around you. Get all your senses involved (sight, sounds, smell, touch and maybe even taste!). Appreciate what you experience, and don’t judge yourself for thoughts that may arise.
- Gratitude Practice: Write down in a journal or simply recall the things you are grateful for at that moment. Try including little things like daily achievements, simple pleasures or positive interactions.
- Stretch/Yoga: Take yourself slowly through simple movements. Pay close attention to your breathing and the way your body moves.
- Visualization: Close your eyes and envision a safe and peaceful place, like a beach or mountain cabin, to promote calmness.
Quick Tip: If you’re curious about how to increase mindfulness and deepen your practice, consider exploring more techniques in this Mindfulness Matters e-book.
How to Incorporate Mindfulness Into Your Routine
One of the benefits of mindfulness is that it requires no tools or prior experience. No matter where you are or what you’re doing, you can learn how to practice mindfulness with these techniques. All that’s left to do is fit them into your current routine so they can become a natural and seamless part of your life. Follow these tips to learn how to practice mindfulness regularly.
- Start Small: Dedicate just 5–10 minutes a day to mindfulness practices. Then, you can devote more and more time to it as you see fit.
- Incorporate Into Daily Activities: Try things like mindful walks, mindful eating and mindful meditation. In short, use every opportunity you have to silence the noise and check in with yourself.
- Use Technology: Apps such as Headspace or Calm can help you with the above. They lead you through guided meditations, breathing exercises and more. Plus, they have the ability to send you reminders about mindfulness, mood check-ins and even bedtimes.
- Mindfulness at Work: Practice active listening. Take mindful breaks throughout the day and consider committing to only single-tasking (since multitasking has been shown to increase stress levels and decrease productivity).
- Set Intentions: Begin each day and each mindful practice with a clear goal. This could be something like improving self-awareness or working on inner peace.
Practice Mindfulness For Long-Term Success
Some of the effects of mindfulness can be felt almost instantaneously. You may leave a session of mindful breathing refreshed or come out of a yoga class feeling as though a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. But, it’s also important to learn how to practice mindfulness so that it can help you in the long term.
When you complete mindfulness exercises, you’re building skills such as self-control, coping mechanisms and emotional intelligence. This happens because you are becoming more in touch with your own thoughts and their effects.
Because mindfulness is rooted in mental focus, it also helps us to reduce stress and improve cognitive ability—since we aren’t being bombarded with distracting thoughts. Over time, these benefits help to prevent burnout and set you up for both personal and professional growth.
Here are just a few examples of well-known businesspeople and celebrities who habitually practice mindfulness to boost productivity and bolster their success:
- Arianna Huffington (Huffington Post Founder, President and Editor-In-Chief) – Huffington told High Existence that she starts every day with deep breathing and setting intentions before doing 20-30 minutes of meditation and yoga most mornings as well. She credits much of her success and lack of burnout to her self-care routines.
- LeBron James (Professional NBA Player) – James has been known to meditate, even on the bench during high-stakes games. He says that much of his success and longevity is thanks to this focus on his mental health. James also has a partnership with the Calm app.
- Lady Gaga (Singer, Songwriter and Actress) – To overcome chronic pain and mental struggles, Lady Gaga uses meditation. In the past, she has live-streamed herself practicing meditation on social media so that fans could join in. For these sessions, she’s shared mantras such as “I am calm,” “I am light,” “I am loved” and “I’m ok.”
Harness The Power Of Mindfulness Today
Mindfulness is all about letting go of the past and disregarding the future so you can be fully present in the moment. In this space, you can pay attention to what’s happening right now within you and around you without judgment. It can be as simple as noticing your breath, the sounds around you or how your body feels. By practicing mindfulness, you can reduce stress, improve focus and enhance your self-awareness. This helps you to be more productive and successful in the long term. And the best part? You don’t have to start big. Just a few minutes of mindful breathing or visualization can make a difference.
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