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Neuroscience and research have reiterated and
strengthened the claims that meditation practitioners
have been making for years. Mindfulness has a
positive impact on our physiology, psychology,
and work performance. At the physiological level,
researchers have demonstrated that mindfulness
training results in a stronger immune system, lower
blood pressure, and a lower heart rate. In addition,
people who practice mindfulness sleep better and
feel less stressed.
Neuroscience has also conclusively
proven that Mindfulness training
increases the density of grey cells in our
pre-frontal cortex, the part of the brain
that thinks rationally and solves problems.
ion
Because of this increase, cognitive function
ased
improves, resulting in better memory, increased
y, and
concentration, reduced cognitive rigidity,
faster reaction times.
With all these benefi ts, research has found people
who practice mindfulness techniques report an
overall increased quality of life.
The benefits of mindfulness also have been
demonstrated in an organizational context. For
example, Jochen Reb, a researcher from Singapore
Management University, evaluated the effectiveness
of some of the Potential Project’s Mindful
leadership programs at Carlsberg Group and if
P&C Insurance, a large Scandinavian insurance
company. He found signifi cant improvements in
focus, awareness, memory, job performance, and
overall job satisfaction after only nine weeks of
training for 10 minutes each day. Attendees also
reported reduced stress and improved perceptions
of work-life balance. Other researchers have found
similar benefits from mindfulness training in
corporate contexts, including increased creativity
and innovation, improved employer-employee
relations, reduced absenteeism, and improved
ethical decision making.
But mindfulness does something far more
powerful than all of the above—it constructively
alters our perception of reality. Through repeated
practice, mindfulness triggers a shift in cognitive
control to frontal brain regions. This enables us to
perceive our world, our emotions, and other people
without fi ght-or-fl ight and knee-jerk reactions, and
to have better emotional resilience.
Focus and awareness are
complementary. Focus enables more
stable awareness, and awareness
enables focus to return to what we’re
doing. They work in tandem.
This change in neurological wiring helps us
perceive situations and make decisions more from
t the conscious mind, avoiding some of the
traps of our unconscious biases. Operating
more from the prefrontal cortex also
enhances our executive function, the control
centre for our thoughts, words, and actions.
A well-developed executive function allows
us to better lead ourselves and others toward
sha
shared goals. With stronger prefrontal activity,
we de
deactivate our tendency to be distracted and we
b
become
more present, focused, and attentive.
There are two key qualities of mindfulness—
focus and awareness:
Focus is the ability to concentrate on a task at
hand for an extended period of time with ease.
Awareness is the ability to make wise choices
about where to focus your attention. Optimal
effectiveness is achieved when you’re simultaneously
focused and aware.
Focus and awareness are complementary. Focus
enables more stable awareness, and awareness
enables focus to return to what we’re doing. They
work in tandem. The more focused we become, the
more we also will be aware—and the other way
around. In mindfulness practice, you enhance focus
and awareness together.
Not coincidentally, mindfulness also makes us
happier. The more present and attentive we are,
regardless of what we do, the happier we become.
P & M
Vol. 10 Issue 2 • FEBRUARY 2019, Delhi NCR |
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