Today we live in the digital age where the technology, media and social media overload our senses with an overflow of information very often being misinformation. From this overflow in our senses, our minds are disoriented, and we are in a hypnotic state most of the time. We drive in the streets with our minds being somewhere else; we eat or better overeat in a hurry as we need to get somewhere somehow or do something else; we have less family time because our schedules are different. We are in automatic mode at high speed most of the time.
Our habits have changed. Before we would get up in the morning and go to bed praying. Today, our morning prayer is replaced by the news in the kitchen TV and the evening prayer by the TV, computer or laptops in the living room or bedroom.
We get up tired, are tired at work and go to bed exhausted. We are stressed all the time. We are not productive at work and not participating in our families. This creates unhappiness. And we become part of that never-ending spiral that starts affecting our health.
As the printing changed humanity from paganism, to organized religions, to monarchies and lately to the nations in our maps today, digital technology is impacting the humans in deeper levels of subconsciousness and with more intensity. Well, let me take this back… It is not printing or technology that impacts us negatively; It is the way we choose to use them that affects us. Technology can be very useful if used for good purposes and in moderation. Being mindful about our choices is the key to a healthy and happy life in the age of technology where we are given so many opportunities to waste our time and energy and be less productive and happy as a result.
In times of crises the companies need to be agile and able to survive. Cultivating mindfulness is beneficial to both the employees and the leadership, while impacting positively the ability of the companies to adjust. Mindfulness is being fully present and stopping the constant overflow of information, stimuli and distraction and consciously deciding how to act rather than automatically react with the unproductive behaviors. Mindfulness helps the employees and leaders to perceive the challenges as issues that they have the power to solve, rather than threats which trigger fight or flight mechanisms, such as being defensive.
Mindfulness cultivating programs help leaders and employees with the cognitive ability, focus and clarity of thinking, mastering the peak levels of stress with open mindedness, and recharge quickly. Mindfulness boosts the immune system, reducing thus the sick days. It increases the connection of the employees with the company and the trust in leadership. It makes the employees feel happy and excited about work, boosting their engagement. Mindfulness helps to unlock the full potential of digital and agile transformations by promoting the creativity and productivity of the employees.
Yet integrating mindfulness in the corporate context can be challenging. Some companies encounter vocal skeptics; others struggle with entrenched ways of working. Even leaders and employees who are eager to try out mindfulness find it hard to get started. To unleash the power of mindfulness, companies will have to embrace a holistic approach to corporate agility.
