Transformative Power of Meditation

In today’s fast-paced and demanding world, stress and its adverse effects on health and wellbeing have become all too common.

Today’s world operates in hyperspeed, which (unfortunately) results in hyper stress. In response to this growing issue, individuals and organizations alike are increasingly turning to meditation & mind training practices as powerful tools for physical and mental wellbeing. 

The information below draws upon the research of B. Alan Wallace, Richard Davidson, Daniel Goleman, Jon Kabat-Zinn, and others outlining the clear benefits of meditation on the body, mind, emotions, workplace, and even bottomline that range from improved cardiovascular health and reduced stress hormone production to enhanced happiness, mental health, and workplace productivity. Fully supported by neuroscientific research, these findings underscore the significance of meditation of fostering a thriving and resilient workplace.

The Physical Body

Research has demonstrated that regular meditation practice can lower heart rate and blood pressure, leading to a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases! 1

Meditation has been shown to reduce the production of cortisol, a stress hormone associated with a range of health problems such as hypertension, obesity, and impaired immune function.2

Mental & Emotional Wellbeing (i.e. Genuine Happiness)

Meditation practices, such as loving-kindness and mindfulness meditation, have been linked to increased positive emotions, including happiness, gratitude, and contentment.3

Studies have also shown that meditation can alleviate symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress-related disorders4 by promoting emotional regulation and enhancing self-awareness.

Meditation practices focused on compassion and empathy have also been associated with increased prosocial behavior, empathy, and social connectedness.5,6

Specifically on the Brain

Neuroimaging studies have revealed that regular meditation enhances brain function and cognitive abilities, leading to improved attention, focus1, and decision-making skills making meditators more productive, efficient, and skillful responders5,6.

Workplace Benefits

Meditation & mind training practices have been shown to improve concentration, creativity, and problem-solving abilities7, leading to increased productivity and efficiency5 in the workplace.

Regular practice can significantly reduce stress levels3 among employees, thereby improving job satisfaction3 and reducing absenteeism8.

Meditation fosters a culture of kindness and cooperation, promoting better teamwork, communication, and conflict resolution6 (and who doesn’t want less conflict at work… and everywhere??)

Business Bottomline

Several studies have demonstrated a positive correlation between employee wellbeing initiatives including meditation programs and financial outcomes such as reduced healthcare costs and absenteeism8, and increased employee retentions5.

Happier employees = better bottomline9,10!

Research-Based Benefits:

  • Fosters physical, mental & emotional wellbeing
  • Reduces heart rate, blood pressure & cortisol production
  • Helps cultivate genuine happiness
  • Improves mental health
  • Increases productivity & efficiency
  • Encourages kindness & social interaction

Company Impacts:

  • Office-wide stress reduction
  • Enhanced collaboration
  • Cooperation & teamwork
  • Generates workplace wellbeing
  • Improved financial outcomes

For brevity’s sake, that just means meditate!

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References:

  • 1 Tang, Y. Y., Ma, Y., Wang, J., Fan, Y., Feng, S., Lu, Q., … & Posner, M. I. (2007). Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 104(43), 17152-17156.
  • 2 Jha, A. P., Krompinger, J., & Baime, M. J. (2007). Mindfulness training modifies subsystems of attention. Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience, 7(2), 109-119.
  • 3 Klatt, M. D., Buckworth, J., & Malarkey, W. B. (2009). Effects of low-dose mindfulness-based
  • stress reduction (MBS-Id) on working adults. Health Education & Behavior, 36(3), 601-614.
  • 4 Hölzel, B. K., Carmody, J., Vangel, M., Congleton, C., Yerramsetti, S. M., Gard, T., & Lazar, S.W. (2011). Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, 191(1), 36-43.
  • 5 Hülsheger, U. R., Alberts, H. J., Feinholdt, A., & Lang, J. W. (2013). Benefits of mindfulness at work: The of mindfulness in emotion regulation, emotional exhaustion, and job satisfaction. Journal of Applied Psychology, 98(2), 310-325.
  • 6 Klimecki, O. M., Leiberg, S., Lamm, C., & Singer, T. (2013). Functional neural plasticity and associated changes in positive affect after compassion training. Cerebral Cortex, 23(7). 1552-1561.
  • 7 Madsen, W. C., & Desai, V. M. (2010). Fostering Mindful Communication in Health Care: Lessons from Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. Families, Systems, & Health, 28(3), 224-237
  • 8 Keng, S. L., Smoski, M. J., & Robins, C. J. (2011). Effects of mindfulness on psychological health: A review of empirical studies. Clinical Psychology Review, 31(6), 1041-1056.
  • 9 Hafenbrack, A. C., Kinias, Z., & Barsade, S. G. (2014). Debiasing the mind through meditation: Mindfulness and the sunk-cost bias. Psychological Science, 25(2), 369-376.
  • 10 Dane, E., & Brummel, B. J. (2013). Examining workplace mindfulness and its relations to job performance and turnover intention. Human Relations, 67(1), 105-128.