Embracing Mindfulness
We all know the feels — we want to be great leaders, great students, all round great people….but the more we try to become amazing at everything, the more we become stressed out messes, crying into our cornflakes at breakfast.
And why? Because we have too much going on in our heads at the same time, and that freaks us out.
What’s Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is training yourself to focus your attention on the present — as in, this very moment… now. It’s about living in the now, without dwelling on the past, or dreaming up scenarios for the future. By turning your attention to the current moment, you’re really experiencing what’s going on — what are you missing out on while you’re stressing about other things? And how does that affect your leadership?
Take Some Time
You can practise mindfulness while you’re doing anything at all. Standing in line at the shops? Take a second to notice what’s going on around you — and engage your senses. What can you smell, hear and see? Is it cold? Most importantly, how do you feel at that moment?
We know it’s sometimes hard to take the worry out of everyday situations, so start off be spending some time sitting in a quiet place while keeping your attention on the here and now.
You might know it as meditation, which is a big part of mindfulness — if that’s what you’re into! Meditation doesn’t have to mean hours spent sitting crossed legged in an Ashram, oh no. You can take it minute at a time… all you have to do is breathe normally and try to clear your mind of clutter.
Mental Chit Chat
The general idea behind mindfulness and meditation is eliminating the internal dialogue we have going on — y’know, the voice inside our head that stresses us out. If there are things that pop up while you’re trying to be mindful, which is 101% guaranteed to happen, just remember that it’s totally normal and not a big deal, but also not very helpful to your mental state. So acknowledge the thought and try again. Say goodbye to it if you have to! Anything that works is fine — there aren’t any rules around mindfulness.
Mindfulness Enhances Leadership
What if you could calmly lead your team without losing your edge when things got tough or life got busy? Mindfulness enables you to shake off small worries and gives you space to think about what’s really important in your day-to-day life. By becoming more self-aware, and more attuned to situations, you’ll develop a more acute sense of the impact of the present moment — what can you take away from each moment?
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This article is published as part of Griffith University’s LEAD Series. Griffith University Leaders are encouraged to register for our LEAD events, as part of their professional development.
