When the successful people we look up to share an element of their lives that has positively impacted them, we take notice. Especially if many of those people are largely in agreement about the benefits. This is the case with mindfulness and meditation. It seems like every celebrity, business mogul, and “it girl” out there can vouch for the way meditation has changed their lives. Will you try this advice, or rather talk to experts on meditation, counselling or Reiki healing that Melbourne has plenty of.
In some ways, mindfulness through self care rituals like meditation is the trendiest way to engage in self care. But with a list of reported benefits such as stress alleviation, mental clarity, higher energy, and better sleep, what matters far less than popularity is results.
Professionals from celebrities to CEOs are participants in the mindfulness movement. Steve Jobs was an open advocate of meditation as an act of calming a restless mind. He referred to the quieting of the mind as intuition that allows for mental clarity. He famously remarked, “If you just sit and observe, you will see how restless your mind is. If you try to calm it, it only makes it worse, but over time it does calm, and when it does, there’s room to hear more subtle things—that’s when your intuition starts to blossom and you start to see things more clearly. Your mind just slows down, and you see a tremendous expanse in the moment. You see so much more than you could see before.”
He’s far from the only public figure to praise the benefits of mindfulness. Oprah has shared about taking two twenty-minute meditation and quietness sessions each day to calm her mind and body. Lena Dunham says she meditated on the set of Girls, the television show. And both Intel and Google have prioritized their employees’ mindfulness practices by providing meditation courses. Clearly there must be something valuable about meditation that these professionals are aware of. The benefits of engaging in mindfulness during the workday are applauded by those who have cracked the code to work efficiency: CEOs and business owners.
Lindsay McCormick, Founder and CEO of Bite, a sustainable personal care brand
“One of the best ways to work meditation and mindfulness into your workday is to use meditation techniques on your breaks. Consider these breaks as little bits of you-time, and do what you need to do in order to return to the rest of your work with a boost of productivity. Focusing on the task at hand, such as the taste palettes in your lunch, or the email you need to send, and taking deep, calming breaths are quick but effective meditation steps I use at work.”
Jorge Vivar, Creative Director of Mode, CBD products for varying health needs
“If you have the opportunity to attend a mindfulness or meditation retreat, I highly recommend you take advantage of the chance, because it can set you on the right path towards a fresher, clearer mentality both at work and in your daily life. Mindfulness retreats offer an amazing chance for you to empty your mind of stress and return back to your routine rejuvenated. But even more than the one-time benefit, retreats teach you meditation techniques and practices you can carry with you and implement at any time during the workday.”
Stephanie Venn-Watson, CEO of Seraphina Therapeutics, fatty acid supplements for reverse cellular aging
“Mindfulness doesn’t have to be anything super special or advanced. Essentially, it’s just about shifting your thinking and mentality to stay in a good headspace. We all know how much a good headspace can benefit us at work. You can start adding mindfulness into your workday by focusing on positive thinking. Every time you find yourself leaning towards negativity, take a second to realign your mindset towards the positive. Take a moment to appreciate all that you have to be grateful for. And if you feel weighed down by negativity on any certain day, maybe take a little extra time for deep breathing and deep focus on the good in your life. You’ll be amazed by how much your life can change due to a positive attitude. Plus, positivity is infectious!”
Jason Reposa, Founder and CEO of Good Feels, cannabis infused seltzers
“If you are lucky enough to enjoy a workplace that offers meditation or relaxation rooms, take advantage and give yourself a quiet mental reset break whenever you need to! Many companies are starting to add these spaces for their employees since realizing the benefit meditation brings to work morale and productivity. If you don’t have a space like this at work, don’t be afraid to take advantage of the space you do have. A breathing break outside, in an empty meeting room, or even in your office chair is always a wise choice. And if your office space is less conventional, such as your house or a local coffee shop, you have even more flexibility to find those private places for a self-care moment.”
Rachel Roff, Founder and CEO of Urban Skin Rx, corrective skin care brand
“I can’t emphasize enough the importance of getting sufficient sleep each day. Most of your rest should come from a deep sleep at night, but listen to your body and give yourself additional rest during the day if that’s what you need. The amount of sleep you need each night varies a bit from person to person, but on average 7-9 hours is a good target to aim for. When you get a good sleep at night you experience more energy, more mental clarity, and a better mood during the day. Then, you can implement simple deep breathing exercises while at work to refresh your mind when you start to feel bogged down.”
Reece Kresser, Co-Founder of Zizi, a cholesterol-lowering heart health kit
“You can be mindful at work by devoting your mind wholly to the task at hand. While it is easy to view your workload as an overarching to-do list, instead focus on each individual task at a time and block out all other interruptions until you’ve completed that one thing. I find this a great practice of mindfulness because when I focus solely on one thing I devote my best mental energy to each item on my to-do list before moving on to the next; this is an act of training my mind to narrow in when I need it to for more productive work days. Resist the urge to let your mind wander. The more you practice, the better you will become at focusing your mind.”
Brandon Sunny, CEO of Royal Moon, an organic CBD dose brand
“Meditation is all about recentering yourself to move away from stress and towards your best mental clarity. It makes sense then to meditate before and/or after big moments that either require extra mental energy or take a little extra out of you. I think the most important times to meditate at work are before meetings and after stressful, high-pressure situations. Take each opportunity to recenter yourself that you need so you can stay level headed at work. Your blood pressure and stress levels, as well as your co-workers, will thank you.”
Nirav Shah, CEO of Sentinel Healthcare, industry healthcare leaders
“My rule is no screens on Saturdays. It allows me to recharge, spend time with family, and come back Monday better rested and with new insights. My team looks to me to set these expectations. Having a healthy work environment—and a team that’s ready to do good, creative work—means taking breaks.”
Jessica Herrin, Founder of Stella and Dot, an inspired beauty and accessory brand
“What is the biggest opponent to meditation and mindfulness? Distraction. And there is hardly anything more distracting than our screens. There’s a whole world of entertainment, communication, and work on our screens that can feel urgent, but in order to de-stress and take a few minutes for yourself, you need to put aside the screens. Mute notifications, power down your electronics, or put them in a drawer when you’re ready for a little meditation to recenter yourself at work. Trust me when I say both things cannot happen simultaneously.”
Lillie Sun, Growth Manager at Three Ships Beauty, a natural skin care company
“The term mindfulness seems to clearly indicate taking care of your mind, but the practice is also highly beneficial for your whole body, not just your brain. Because mindfulness requires you to look within and recenter yourself on your present moment, it reduces stress and feelings of overwhelm which in turn can lead to lower blood pressure, less risk of heart conditions, and deeper sleep. Meditation can also improve your immune system and digestion system circulation. It has also been reported to boost positive body confidence and control mood swings in women. So essentially, the best short term result is lessened stress and anxiety and increased peace and relaxation, and the best long term result is a healthier body. What’s not to love about that?”
Roman Taranov, CEO of Able, a personalized health coach platform
“A big culprit of stealing my self care and personal time is my screens. I know that after a big meeting or a long day at work, the best thing for me is to take some time to focus myself away from work, such as through time outdoors, exercise, or time spent doing something I love. However, if I don’t set boundaries I can so easily find myself absently scrolling through my phone or sitting in front of the TV. While I do allow myself to relax in these ways in moderation in the evenings, I know to first prioritize something better for my mind and body. Setting limits to when you can have screen time after work, and where, is another form of mindfulness and self care. I know I need mental breaks from screens, so I make sure to move my body and mind in better ways after work.”
Ubaldo Perez, CEO of Hush, tattoo and permanent makeup anesthetics
“There are some super simple ways you can implement more mindfulness at work to keep you feeling and acting like your best self. Some things you can keep in mind during the work day, as well as during your personal days, is to ground yourself in gratitude and humility. It can be easy to either lean to one extreme or another at work, from stress and overwhelm to pride and arrogance, but instead practice mindfulness by keeping yourself in a healthy middle ground. Even when parts of your day don’t go according to plan, stay grateful. And even when you get praised by a superior or absolutely crush that presentation, stay humble and keep your mind open to all that you still get to learn and grow through. These are some practices that I find particularly helpful to carry with me into each work day.”
Recently, studies have found that daily mindfulness practices–even just several minutes–can lead to higher efficiency at work. Coupled with all of the personal positive reviews from CEOs, business owners, authors, and celebrities, it’s time to see for yourself the benefit of leaning into meditation and mindfulness at work.