To change the outside the inside must be addressed first. In healthcare, burn out is very real. There are 3 connected concepts I’ve learned over the course of business life. 1. My spirit plays a role in business resilience. 2. Mindfulness builds My spirit. 3. My productivity improves when I’m practicing mindfulness. As you read this post, my hope is that you too see the connectedness of these concepts.
Brown University’s Mindfulness Center reports: “Mindfulness has been shown to improve short-term memory, attention and the ability to perform complex cognitive tasks, and could also serve to reduce stress and anxiety, potentially leading to better relationships. Mindfulness could help employees respond to the work environment and world around them more consciously rather than compulsively.”
There are many definitions of Mindfulness, however my favorite is “paying attention on purpose”. When we’re experiencing stress our amygdala fires up and we may find our mind is clouded. We have difficulty remaining calm. Becoming unregulated leads to overwork, less productivity, and more importantly feelings of hopelessness.
To be my best self, particularly when working in healthcare it is imperative I constantly feed my spirit as a practice of wellness, no different than excercise, diet, and mental health.
Part of my preparation for a recent speaking engagement was exploring a form of ecotherapy called Forest bathing. According to the Wellbeing Manual forest bathing is a powerful form of ecotherapy. Originating in Japan in the 1980s, essentially you take in forest atmosphere; a calm and/or wooded area of the forest mindfully and in a present way. Some of the psychological effects cited are, boosts wellbeing in a natural way, heightens our senses focusing on the now instead of our to-do lists, decreases feelings of anxiety, allows us to disconnect from technology in a natural way.
According to National Geographic forest bathing is not just for the wilderness-lover; the practice can be as simple as walking in any natural environment and consciously connecting with what’s around you. This is exactly what I did in the Japanese Gardens of Portland. I spent time reflecting on the “why” of my journey and centering on its purpose. This time allowed me to visualize my performance along with caring for my psyche before discussing and listening too tough topics. I 🖤 this experience so much I plan to routinely make it a practice when I travel for business when possible. Needless to say. I received great feedback from my presentation.
In peace,
J
Resources: daily calm mindful meditation ; The Wellbeing Manual