Mind your work (First part)

LIVE WELL / CJ Rodriguez

First part

In today’s fast-paced, digital environment, it is a constant challenge to stay focused on one thing at any given time. Nowhere is this truer than in the workplace. When you sit in for a meeting, your attention may waver with the barrage of text messages and e-mail alerts from one or more devices. And though you might have the best intentions to maintain focus by switching the cell phone to silent mode, or by shutting down that laptop, the temptation to multitask is difficult to resist.

Multitasking is a common pitfall many of us fall into in our quest to do more in less time. Studies have proven that multitasking, rather than save time, as it is purported to do, may actually result in more inefficiency. By trying to juggle several things at the same time and not giving each item the attention it deserves, the risks of one redoing or, worse, making mistakes are high. Instead of accomplishing more, people spend more time reworking things, which leads to more inefficiency.

To be able to focus on one task and give it the attention it deserves requires one to be fully engaged. To be fully engaged requires one to be mindful, a concept that has gained much buzz in recent years. Companies, such as Google, Yahoo, Procter and Gamble, and Deutsche Bank, have started to adopt the models of mindfulness for their employees. One of the recognized experts on the topic is Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, the creator of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), a stress-reduction program used in more than 700 hospitals worldwide. Dr. Kabat-Zinn’s findings and wisdom, based on 47 years of teaching mindfulness through meditation, have provided the cornerstone on which many of today’s mindfulness programs and trainings all over the world are modeled.

In his book Full Catastrophe Living, Dr. Kabat-Zinn defines mindfulness as the awareness that arises by paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.

People in the workplace spend about 80 percent of their time in an environment that can potentially be a source of stress. The remaining 20 percent of the time, if one is lucky, is spent renewing and conserving one’s energy through leisure or restful activities. Work can be a great source of stress, regardless of one’s job grade in his or her organization. For the individual aspiring for that next big promotion, the quest to get more things done and to be noticed for good work turned in, while it can be a motivating factor, can potentially be a source of burnout if done at an excessive pace. For people who have been in the same role for a long period of time, they may find themselves in a rut and start operating on autopilot.

Companies have begun to discover the dramatic effects of increased mindfulness on organizational health. Numerous studies linking neurological effects with mindfulness training report benefits, such as improved focus and attention; an enhanced awareness of self and others; increased emotional intelligence, particularly in areas of empathy and self-regulation; and lower levels of stress. So while it is not possible to eliminate conflict or prevent issues from surfacing at work, mindfulness training allows employees and employers alike to better acknowledge, assess and manage difficult situations. Mindfulness allows them to take stock and respond more effectively by giving them tools to gain more control of their thoughts and emotions.

To be continued next week

CJ Rodriguez worked as a sales and marketing manager for several FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) multinational firms for 16 years. She is currently based in Europe and uses her professional experience to further inform her parenting and home-management skills.