Here’s a Surprising Business Power Tool

I’m over multi-tasking. I’m done with doing more with less time. My quest for maximum performance and productivity in business has left me exhausted and questioning my methods. I now know this constant juggling trick of mine is not making me a better business owner. By training my brain over the years to take on more at once, I am able to shorten my daily ‘to do’ list, but I am also left with a mind that is cluttered and busy. I can’t turn off when I should. I am always ‘on’, with thoughts of work constantly rattling around in my head. ‘Busy’ has been a measure of success for many of us in business, but is it really helping us be better leaders? Maximising performance and productivity is still my goal, I’m just getting there in a different way these days. I have been exploring the practice of mindfulness in my business and the results are surprising. What is mindfulness? Mindfulness is a such simple concept. It is bringing full attention and awareness to what you are doing in a particular moment. It is stepping outside the muck and observing a situation without judgment. That’s it. Why is mindfulness so powerful in the business context? Mindfulness is being fully present in a situation. Now isn’t that where we want to be as business owners? This skill is far more powerful than the ability to split our attention into as many pieces as possible. When we are multi-tasking in our business, are we ever totally present in any situation? By bringing mindfulness into the business world, we become more aware of our reactions and we can take responsibility for our feelings and our behaviour, in turn making us better managers of ourselves. This is a must before we can hope to be good managers of others. Through mindfulness, we can see things more clearly and more objectively. This kind of awareness helps us focus on what’s really important and make better decisions – inside and outside the business arena. A very welcome side effect of a mindfulness practice is a calmer mind. By focusing on one thing at a time, with full attention and objectivity, I am able to get past the clutter. There’s more ‘space’ in my head to dedicate to creative ideas, problem solving and presence with my business community. How to do it Start the mindfulness journey at work by paying attention to how you feel in situations and consciously observe how you respond to different scenarios or people. Don’t judge, just observe. Create a culture of mindfulness at your workplace by locking in a 5 minute session each day for you and your team to disconnect from digital distractions and be still in the moment, focusing purely on the breath. When the mind wanders off to other things – and it will – gently bring your attention back to your inhalation and exhalation. So drop the juggling balls and give mindfulness a go. You’ll see that it’s not ‘blissing out’, it’s a tool for better business.