Mindfulness is not a buzzword. It is a practice that can help make you a better leader. It has no downside, only upside, and it is a continual process that does not judge -- only informs and enhances. Why wouldn't someone want to explore new ways to improve their ability to lead, communicate, and contribute?
Let's dive in.
By incorporating yoga, meditation, mindful reflection, and mental health breaks into my day, I approach situations more thoughtfully and intentionally, I empathize more readily and make more strategic decisions, and I show up more fully for my team.
I was recently asked to reflect on what activities I have practiced regarding my mental health that have also contributed to my work performance. This is a very important question. Mental health is a vital part of our work because it's a vital part of our lives. The NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month in May as well as Mental Health Awareness Week in October, with World Mental Health Day landing on October 10. I appreciate the fact that these "holidays" are spread out throughout the year, and I hope they bring awareness to mental health situations and encourage people to talk about their mental health more openly and respectfully. But mental health isn't something you can walk away from. It's not about going to an event then moving on. It's present in every moment of every day. While there are debates on how much of your personal mental health is "too much" to discuss at work, there's no denying the fact that your mental health contributes to every moment of your life, which absolutely seeps into your career -- how you show up at work, how you interact with others, how you feel about your job, what motivates you, how you feel during and after meetings, and so much more. Regardless of how much personal information we want to share with our colleagues at work, we can (and should) still reflect on how paying attention to our own mental health can help us be happier, more engaged, more fulfilled, and a better worker.
For me personally, yoga and meditation have made me a better leader. No question. By incorporating yoga, meditation, mindful reflection, and mental health breaks (preferably off-screen and outdoors) into my day, I can approach situations more thoughtfully and intentionally, I can empathize more readily and make more strategic decisions, and I can show up more fully for my team.
Mindfulness has made me a better leader -- no question.
So let's explore what mindfulness is -- and what it isn't -- and how it can make a positive impact on your life as soon as today.
Mindfulness is the practice of being aware in the present moment. It often involves not bringing judgment into the moment, and simply letting things be, as they are. Practicing mindfulness helps people feel calmer and be both self-aware and empathic so they can respond to situations in a more helpful manner and bring the parts of themselves to the surface that they are ready to present.
I recently attended a webinar called "Transforming Culture through Mindful Leadership" hosted by Calm (a fantastic meditation app that I use every single night! This is not a paid advertisement -- I am truly a user and a huge fan), and at the event, the panel of speakers acknowledged that mindfulness is not something that has to happen on a mountaintop. In fact, it is something that can occur at any moment. All the little moments between and during and after events. Every moment can be a mindful moment. Now, it's definitely difficult to not let things get to you. I'm not implying that you shouldn't ever feel any emotions. Quite the contrary -- emotions will undoubtedly arise, situations will test you, and you will be challenged. That much is inevitable. But it's the meaning you assign to those emotions, the way you make sense of those situations, and the way you react in response to those moments that makes all the difference. If you can integrate mindfulness into your daily life, and if you can infuse your default approach with greater mindfulness, you can act more calmly and more intentionally.
Every moment can be a mindful moment.
In the workplace, this translates wonderfully into acting more strategically, collaborating more openly, communicating more empathetically, listening more reflectively, and making decisions more objectively and purposefully. These are all behaviors we should strive to achieve in our workday. Mindfulness can help us get there.
Next, you can layer on additional practices that support your mental health, such as practicing yoga, or going for a walk among nature, or taking off-screen breaks. You can meditate or practice deep-breathing. Here's how they help enhance your presence at work:
When I practice deep breathing, I learn that I can control my breath. This is important to the way I conduct myself as a leader and role model. I cannot control others, and I cannot control what situations arise. But I can control how I deal with them and react to them. And I can control my breath and steady myself before acting. I can be mindful about the way I respond by taking a deep breath and acknowledging that I can only control what I can control in any given circumstance.
When I go for a walk among nature, I activate my senses. I always experience something new. I challenge myself to be still and let the world move around me. I hear a bird chirp. I hear rustling in the bushes and see a squirrel pop out holding an acorn in his little hands. I feel the warmth of the sun on my face and a cool breeze brush through my hair. I see the beautiful foliage of the leaves turning in early autumn and I admire the vibrant colors of flowers poking through the soil below. Nature is self-sustaining. Trees have deeply planted roots. And birds are marvels of science, in my opinion! Find something about nature that fascinates you and really pay attention to it. You'll realize that there's a beautiful world around you for you to enjoy. Sometimes, it's enough to be happy with the way things are. As a leader, you can think about planting deep roots by setting expectations and establishing norms among your team. You can think about cultivating a self-sustaining, interwoven, vibrant and supportive culture among your team members, where you appreciate all of their strengths individually and you also acknowledge and share how everything works together in a harmonious ecosystem.
When I practice yoga, I connect body and mind and soul. I am reminded of the importance of a holistic view, just like at work when I need to step back and understand the big picture. I hold a pose and practice stillness and explore how best to work my muscles -- do I hold this one tense? Do I let this one go? -- similarly to the ways I consider how to make business decisions, what problems to care about and fix, what things to let go.
When I journal, I reflect. Writing is thinking, and when I write, I make sense of the events of the day -- what happened, what it meant, what I did, how I felt about that, and what I'd like to do differently next time. Reflection is vital for leadership growth. Things happen to us, but the way we reflect on them and learn from them is what matters most. If you want to develop as a leader, cultivate a practice of reflection. Journaling is a great way to do that. It's concrete, it's a form of thinking, it's personal (you don't have to share your journal with anyone), and if you use a journal that provides prompts, you can take the guesswork and prep work out of the process and simply pour your stream of consciousness onto your paper.
When I step away from my screens, I give my eyes a chance to rest and help prevent headaches and other issues that could bother me, distract me from giving my all, or even cause me to burn out or require medical attention. Taking a break from screens also reminds me of the power of perspective. Our whole lives don't take place inside a screen. There is more to your work (and to your day) than emails and meetings. Plus, a break from your work will let you brain rest and provide some distance between you and your project, so you can return to it later with fresh eyes. Take care of your physical self -- and your whole self -- so you can show up to work wholeheartedly and ready to go!
These are all exercises and activities that will boost your mental health and support your continuous goal of mindfulness. Remember that they are not synonymous. Even if you don't like meditation or you physically can't perform yoga poses or you can't find time to write in a journal, you can still be mindful. Mindfulness can show up in little ways or even unexpected ways.
For example, an additional way I have learned to be mindful is by learning about and practicing emotional intelligence. By always being cognizant of my EI, I try to be an empathic leader, a supportive culture-builder, an open collaborator, a reflective listener, a decisive decision-maker, and a clear communicator. By studying communication styles or the psychology of communication, you can be more mindful about the way you communicate, collaborate with others, and express yourself.
Think of being mindful as being intentional. When you are intentional, everything has a purpose. At work, everything you do should have a purpose, in that your work should align to a strategy or goal and connect to the work your colleagues are doing. Being intentional is important for leaders, communicators, and all employees, as we should always be aware of and deliberate with our thoughts, our actions, and our words. Mindfulness can help you clarify your presence, deliver concrete arguments, connect to team members, make effective decisions, communicate with empathy, strategize like a visionary, and manage projects with clarity and success. Leaders who are more intentional are more successful. I want that for you and for all of us. So let's start thinking of ways to incorporate mindfulness into our work presence, starting with something small and marginal and building as we find what works best for us.

You can't fill from an empty cup. Take a moment to gather yourself and refresh yourself so you can sustainably serve others in a meaningful and impactful way. Find what fills your cup and helps you reset in a relaxing, calming way. Try yoga, try meditation, try deep-breathing, try nature walks, try off-screen breaks, try instrumental music, try taking a nap, try journaling, try drinking tea, try improving your nutrition, try taking an extra pause before responding in meetings, try taking a step back before sending your next email, try taking a new class, try reading about communication or psychology, try finding a hobby that serves you and makes you happy...try different things. Find what makes you happy. Simply exploring ways to boost your mental health will serve you and those around you both in the moment and in the long run.
Activities:
Take a pause right now. Sit up straight with good posture. Rest your hands on your knees. Close your eyes (after you read this) or soften your gaze. Take in one deep breath through your nose and into your belly (this is called directional breathing, since you are focusing on carrying the breath downward). Fill up your belly and then your lungs with air. Pause when you can't breathe in any more. Then, take one additional tiny little sip of air. Lastly, slowly and with control, let the air go. Feel your body deflate and soften. Notice the pause at the end of that breath before the next one starts up again. Repeat this practice of deep breathing as much as you'd like. Each time, try to lengthen your breath. Always breathe slowly and with control. (Tip: When you breathe out through your mouth, pretend you are holding a teaspoon filled with soup in front of your lips, and you want to lightly cool the soup but not let any liquid splash off the spoon. That is how slowly and deliberately you should be breathing.)
Remind yourself of three benefits to your work presence you will feel once you start acting more mindfully. Get yourself bought into it so you want to do the work!
Identify one way you can incorporate mindfulness into your day. Try it tomorrow. Reflect on how it went. Keep trying things, reflecting on them, and making small tweaks until you find what works best for you.
Comments