Mindfulness is the practice of bringing our attention to our emotions, thoughts and feelings in the present moment. It involves using meditation techniques to be aware of all that’s going on in your life without judgement.
It’s a practice that a growing number of people are embracing and it seems that this is filtering into the business world too.
Research conducted by Esme Loans found that 68 per cent of business owners currently practice mindfulness. What’s more interesting is that when the company explored this based on the age of the business owners, they found that young people are far more engaged with the concept than their older counterparts.
The survey found that, among 18 to 24 year old business owners, the number practicing mindfulness jumps to 87 per cent. By contrast, among business owners aged 55 to 64 years old, it falls to just six per cent.
This particular piece of research was looking at whether business owners were happier with their work-life balance than employees. Broadly this was the case, with 38 per cent of the business owners surveyed reporting that they’re very happy with their work-life balance compared to 25 per cent of employees.
But despite this, the average business owner only takes 19 days of annual leave a year, with just 15 per cent revealing that they don’t work at all during this period.
A recent article for Thrive Global highlighted why mindfulness can be such a useful tool for business owners to embrace.
One of the top areas where it helps is with stress relief. Why is mindfulness so great? Because you can do it anywhere and you don’t need any specialist equipment. It could be as simple as taking a 15-minute walk at lunchtime and instead of listening to music or a podcast, paying close attention to the sounds you hear and sensations you feel as you wander.
Mindfulness can also help with problem solving. Taking time to clear your mind by spending a few minutes calming down and practicing breathing exercises can allow you to see a problem from a new perspective.
Taking time out from your day to day distractions can also allow you to clarify your goals. Sitting and simply thinking somewhere peaceful, where you’re not going to be interrupted by a ringing phone or someone asking a question, can allow you the space you need to really think about your life and what direction it’s heading in.
It’s not only business people who can benefit from practicing mindfulness. iNews recently revealed that several police forces in the UK have been trialling the use of mindfulness apps among their officers.
The police officers who regularly practiced mindfulness reported improved wellbeing, life satisfaction, resilience and performance.
After 24 weeks, users of the online mindfulness resources reported “becoming more reflective about their own thoughts and actions, while learning new techniques to use in stressful situations”.
If you’re interested in finding out how mindfulness could benefit you, contact us to book an appointment with a mindful therapist in Wimbledon.