Mindfulness your way - a message from Sally Kirkright, CEO AccessEAP
Mindfulness, a practice based in Buddhist tradition, continues to be a hot topic and has gained increasing popularity as an effective technique for managing and reducing stress. Many of our counsellors at AccessEAP integrate mindfulness-based strategies, as the results can often be seen and experienced relatively quickly. I think it’s important to point out that mindfulness is very effective but only when used as one of a number of strategies in a holistic approach toward improved wellbeing.
At times, mindfulness is very helpful and at other times it’s just not. When miindfulness works for me, I am truly focussed on the task at hand, engaged in the process, listening attentively, feeling in sync both mind and body and achieving results. Recent research has told us that for mindfulness techniques to work, we must have a methodology around when and how to apply it. Let me share an example from my personal experience. As the CEO of an expanding organisation that deals with the complexities of human emotions and behaviour, I am faced with multiple and competing demands on a daily basis. My job often requires that I: apply critical thinking to make an assessment; think ahead to future strategy; consider past learnings; and put contingencies and plans into place. When involved in these tasks it would not necessarily serve me well to pause and “pay attention to the present moment without judgement’, as the widely accepted definition of mindfulness advises.
At times, however, there are moments when I need to stop, pause and be present in order to be productive. It may be that thinking about the past, or the future or too many things at once, has me in a physical state of stress in which focus and clarity is not achievable at a particular moment in time. For me to notice unproductive stress, I need to be mindful. I need to observe that I am not thinking clearly, that I am overtaken by emotion, or that my body feels like I have just run a marathon. Beyond that, I then need to take conscious steps to be present. It is in these moments where mindfulness is my ally.
My message here is simple. It’s important to recognise that mindfulness is one of several tools that you will need to have in your resilience kit. When, where and how you use it determines its effectiveness – that’s mindfulness my way. Think about what mindfulness your way looks like.
Sometimes I need help to become mindful. I may be so caught up in my thoughts and only notice I am in a state of stress when someone asks if I am okay. At AccessEAP we have many services in place to encourage self awareness and self care. Mindfulness training can be tailored to particular needs or provide a more general introduction to the concepts. Coaching is also available for managers who feel they could benefit from one on one sessions in mindfulness.
