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As mindfulness continues to grow in popularity among many people, research is expanding on the positive impacts of having an ongoing mindfulness practice. Thousands of published scholarly articles from disciplines such as psychology, neuroscience and medicine have focused on the benefits of mindfulness related to mental health; learning and memory processes; emotion regulation; perspective-taking; the ability to navigate chronic pain, stress and anxiety; and other important areas of health and well-being. Participants in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programs have shown an increase in gray matter in their brains that contributes to these positive outcomes. 

More recently, research on mindfulness is extending into organizational and management sectors as employers in small and large organizations are exploring the impacts of mindfulness practices on their leaders, employees, and workplaces in general. In his book, The Mindful Workplace, author Michael Chaskalson makes a strong case for mindfulness in the workplace and shares examples of how it is being incorporated into a wide range of organizations including banks, media and technology companies, industry, law, police, military, government and other settings. Chaskalson emphasizes that mindfulness practices are effective in reducing levels of stress and increasing levels of emotional intelligence of employees while also raising self-awareness, increasing interpersonal sensitivity and improving communication skills. In addition, other research suggests that the practice of mindfulness can reduce prejudice and racial bias.

“In today’s workplaces, employees face very real pressures and stressors that can impact their state of mind and mood” said Lisa Laughman, training program developer at Michigan State University. Laughman adds it is not unusual for people to feel pressured, overwhelmed, exhausted, burned-out, disgruntled and disengaged in the workplace. Incorporating mindfulness practices into the workday and workplace is one of the most effective ways to restore balance and increase resilience over these common work related stressors. MSU Extension suggests ways to build a personal mindfulness practice.

But what exactly is the practice of mindfulness? Jon Kabat-Zinn, the creator of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, describes mindfulness as a way of connecting with your life. It involves cultivating attention in a particular way — paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, nonjudgmentally (“as if your life depended on it, because it does”).

Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment with openness, curiosity, kindness and flexibility. It is about noticing our experience without analyzing, evaluating, critiquing or judging it. Mindfulness is about noticing when we are caught up in fearful thoughts about the past or the future when our minds are on auto-pilot. It is only after noticing that we can take the next step of gently guiding our focus back to the present moment. Mindfulness also involves the integration of mind, body and emotions in ways that provide powerful pathways to psychological, emotional and physiological health and well-being.

Studies have shown that the practice of mindfulness can increase job satisfaction and decrease the emotional exhaustion that leads to burnout. Also, according to Chaskalson, extending mindfulness to the workplace, “lowers rates of health-related absenteeism, leads to increased concentration and extends one’s attention span. It reduces impulsivity and improves one’s capacity to hold and manipulate information. It lowers levels of psychological distress and raises levels of well-being and overall work and life satisfaction.” Workplaces that encourage the practice of mindfulness with leaders, supervisors and employees may foster a climate of safety, voice and trust that enhances relationships and improves team functioning.

There is compelling evidence that slowing down and navigating the workday in a more intentional way that cultivates non-judgmental awareness, helps us navigate uncomfortable emotions and increases our personal resilience over stressful situations and leads to healthier and more productive employees. This is a win for employers and workers.

Michigan State University Extension provides resources to learn about formal and informal mindfulness practices and offers educational sessions called Stress Less with Mindfulness. For more information and resources, visit MSU Extension's Mindfulness for Better Living website.