Meditating…at work?

Jul 30

Those new to meditation often think that it requires sitting cross legged and thinking about nothing or going on a spiritual journey (cue Patrick). But the truth is, meditation is a whole lot more accessible. In fact, even a two minute meditation exercise can help employees feel better & work more effectively. And employees can settle into a meditation right from their desk or in a break out room.

Why should we be talking about meditation at work?

For employers, the answer is simple- meditation improves quality of work while keeping the team happy and healthy. There are numerous physical and mental health benefits from meditation such as increasing self-awareness, reducing stress, improving concentration, and improving sleep.

So, how exactly can meditation improve an employee's quality of work?

Reducing Stress and Anxiety - Job stress can negatively impact employee job performance, decrease their motivation for work, and increase employee absences. A large amount of research suggests that meditation can be beneficial in reducing an individual's stress levels. In fact, studies have found that individuals who have practiced meditation over the long term show physiological changes in the areas of their brain that are associated with stress and anxiety. This same research also suggests that meditation can improve emotional regulation, which can significantly contribute to preventing and reducing stress. Anxiety is often associated with high levels of stress, so decreasing an individual's stress levels can also improve symptoms of anxiety.

Improving Cognitive Performance and Clarity - Thought clarity is crucial to creating high-quality work. When an employee struggles to focus on their tasks at hand, their quality of work will show it. Meditation, even when done briefly, has been shown to improve an individual's attention span. One study observed two groups of people who participated in two different attention tasks after a brief guided meditation. This study found an improvement in both groups' attention. Another research study examined how meditation can affect age-related cognitive decline. This study found that meditation showed positive effects on participant's attention, memory, general cognition, and more.
Improving Sleep - Improvements in sleep are associated with improvements in an individual's physical health and mental wellbeing. Plus, sleep is associated with mental health improvements, including depression, anxiety, nightmares, psychological wellbeing, and cognitive functioning. Meditation has been linked to improvements in sleep and a decrease in insomnia. One study found that individuals who participated in a mindfulness education class experienced improvements in their quality of sleep and reduced insomnia symptoms.
Improving Physical Health - When employee's physical health is struggling, they will be unable to participate in the tasks assigned to them effectively. Employees experiencing issues with their physical health will likely call in more often and perform poorly at work. Meditation has been linked to improvements in pain management and the prevention of stress-related health issues.

How to Introduce Meditation to Your Employees

There are lots of different ways to introduce meditation to employees. One thing we strongly recommend- normalizing it. If people are new, it is help

Normalize Meditation - Debunk ideas that meditation is a religious ritual or requires lots of time and practice. Educating employees on the benefits of meditation and letting them know where and when it is ok to take a meditation break will increase their likeliness of trying it.

2. Develop a Program or Master Class - You can begin to introduce meditation to your employees by developing a program that teaches the benefits of meditation and trains your employees in meditation techniques. Or, you can host a master class with experienced, licensed therapists.

3. Provide Resources - There are lots of apps out there like Headspace (our favorite) or even free resources like meditation playlists on YouTube. Here at Samata Health, we like to share some content to help employees destress at their desk in under five minutes.

Employee wellbeing = employer satisfaction. We highly recommend introducing supportive exercises for employee mental health to create a happier, healthier, and more productive workforce.