What Brings You Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a word I tie, in my brain, to something necessary in work as well as work/life balance. Mindfulness wasn’t something that was talked a lot about if you go back ten years. In this new world, especially with all that has changed over the past three years, being mindful and aware has become something I try to infuse into my daily routine.
When I look at the word and its meaning, it comes down to being present in the moment and being all in with your awareness. Let’s just say it doesn’t play well with distractions.
This first time I considered what mindfulness meant and how that might fit into business, I was at a three-day Executive Sales Conference in Nashville. Fourteen sales executives would gather to roll up their sleeves and work through list of challenges and initiatives unmatched year’s past.
The meeting tone included great transparency to the challenges we all faced and determining the best path to deliver the delicate messaging to our sales force and in turn to thousands of retail customers.
The mood was heavy, and I could see everyone’s mind churning on how said changes would affect them and their team. A team of leaders that always rose to the challenges that were laid in front of them looked tattered and worn out.
We’d break right in the meeting room so we could continue to brainstorm, plan, and navigate what lie ahead for us. We would take a short break to eat though. During a short break, our leader shared a comment and an idea he had received from his spouse in a text. He said she suggested an exercise she had read about for mindfulness. Bringing in puppies into a corporate meeting. Got my attention for sure! Couldn’t help but notice my 12 peers faces light up at the thought too.
Mindfulness Considered
Unlike dogs, humans devote a great amount of time contemplating and worrying about things that are out of their control.
A dog, on the other hand, lives in the current moment. Dogs and especially puppies, are always in an intentional state of being conscious in the current moment.
When we struggle to focus in the moment, it makes it hard to pay attention and really listen. We lose information and opportunities to brainstorm and ideate solutions.
If you are hosting a work event that will include long days of meetings and consuming information like drinking from a fire hose, consider adding a mindfulness exercise to lessen the stress.
While yoga is a great example of a mindful exercise, I don’t think a large group of folks will be up for dropping down on a yoga mat at your next meeting. Just saying. But there are many things to consider.
Looking for some personal mindfulness exercises? You might find these 12 Fun Mindfulness Exercises interesting from Stress.org.
Mindfulness Exercises for Corporate Meetings
Here’s a list of ideas to get you thinking for your next corporate meeting.
- Meeting Ice Breaker ~ knock out initial stress
- Play Calming Music ~ during breaks and activities
- Share Gratitude and Participant Milestones ~ in work and/or in life
- Sensory Exercises
- Group Games
- Gratitude Wall for Participants
- Nature Walk
- Have a Puppy Party
Whatever the idea, the goal is to bring activities to your event that allow your hard-working team to get a mindful break. Make it fun! Taking all those thoughts and challenges swimming in their brains and give them some small breaks that allow them to be in the moment. Just like a worry-free puppy lives.
