Just a few short years ago, mindfulness and business would not have seemed like such a common pairing, however, today every forward thinking business leader is familiar with the practice, if not touting the benefits. Mindfulness, frequently defined as paying attention, non-judgmentally to what is happening in the present moment, is fast becoming the go-to tool of the business community in obtaining the cutting edge over the fierce competition that exists in a global marketplace.
Even top tier academic institutions like New York University (NYU) are taking note and incorporating mindfulness into their programs, giving business graduates the upper hand on their peers in being equipped with the tools needed to be able to handle stress while making key strategic decisions in their future executive positions in various multinational and entrepreneurial endeavors.
As noted in a recent HuffPost Business article, “These leaders recognize that in a world of increasingly fast-paced, dynamic leadership challenges, the ability to cut through the noise, focus clearly and make purposeful decisions is a powerful advantage.”
NYU’s new Mindfulness In Business Initiative is a collaboration between the Stern School of Business and Global Spiritual Life at NYU that launches this month.
According to Neurosurgeon Dr. James Doty from Stanford University, the modern business environment is one that creates high levels of stress and anxiety for many people and this is not a conducive environment to productive employees. During these periods “the area of our brain called the frontal executive control area which is associated with creativity and planning is not working at its best. Also, the heart rate increases, blood pressure increases, and the immune system becomes depressed. The increased cost in expenditure for healthcare of these individuals is 50% more…the cost in regard to human resource expenditure is dramatically increased and US$ 200-300 billion are lost in the US because of stress and anxiety which often leads to depression.”
On the other hand, Dr. Doty explains that businesses that create environments that decrease fear, promote trust, cooperation, and communication, as well as give employees control and ultimately a meaning in their lives have much higher levels of employee productivity and shared value, as well as lower healthcare and human resource expenditures. Once business executives realize the profound effect that mindfulness can have on their bottom line, they become much more interested.
To view the full interview on Weekend Breakfast about the benefits of compassion, mindfulness, and altruism in Business click here.
Meditation instructor Alice Lash offers mindfulness meditation in Miami. To learn more about offering mindfulness training at your business browse our Corporate Wellness packages.
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