Unless you’ve been living on a different planet the past couple of years, chances are you’ll have heard or read about the concept of MINDFULNESS. Developed from a 2,400-year-old Buddhist practice, mindfulness is a form of meditation used as a therapeutic technique that involves being more aware of - and in - the present moment.
It involves sitting still, focusing on your breath, noticing when your attention drifts - both outside, in the world around you and within: how you’re currently feeling and thinking - and bringing it back to your breath. It’s not as easy as it sounds but studies have shown that mindfulness for mental well being can reduce relapses into depression by 44% - and say researchers, is as effective as taking antidepressants. It can also help people cope with a range of other illnesses, including anxiety and chronic pain.
But Mindfulness is moving out of the surgery and into other areas of life including the office. Amazon.com has over 2,000 books on mindfulness alone!
The New Yorker reports that researchers have started exploring the workplace benefits of mindfulness: that it may improve everything from
- social relationships
- resiliency
- task performance and commitment
- enjoyment
- memory
However, as with everything mindfulness for mental health has its detractors, with some saying the practice can have side-effects. But if you want to know more check out the following resources – and make sure you follow the recommendations of choosing a teacher with at least 12 months proper training.
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/pages/mindfulness.aspx
http://www.freemindfulness.org/download
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