“Mindfulness” has entered our lexicon in the past decade as an effective
solution to stress and expectations of round-the-clock work
availability, as well as the constant distractions of modern life,
including social media, texting, and a relentless news cycle. Studies suggest that practicing
meditation, breathing, or simple awareness of the present moment while
on the job can not only help us feel more relaxed, but also increase
focus and attention span, expand working memory, and enhance
our connection to others.
As the founder and CEO of Simple Habit, a platform dedicated to
mental wellness, Yunha Kim is on a mission to help bring mindfulness
into people’s everyday working lives. Simple Habit gathers the world’s
leading professionals in meditation, therapy, and coaching into one
place in order to provide bitesize audio content to help individuals
cope with work stress and the rest of life’s challenges.
Her dream to build Simple Habit was born from her personal struggles
with work stress, says Kim. While creating her first startup, Locket,
she found herself working long hours, which led to problems focusing and
sleeping. She decided to try meditation, and it changed her life. She
was better able to focus at work and sleep at night. Generally, she felt
more present and happier.
However, Kim noticed there was no existing platform where she could
get mindfulness and wellness content from a variety of world-class
experts. “I set out to create the Spotify for meditation, focusing on
five-minute meditations that busy people can use for any situation or
mood,” she explains. “As we’ve learned more about our users, our vision
at Simple Habit has evolved to be even bigger. We’ve learned that
beneath the desire to meditate is an even greater human desire to manage
stress, improve well-being, and feel happier.”
Kim can find it challenging to stay grounded and balanced while
running a startup. Due to limited time and financial resources, and the
incredibly fast pace of the modern business environment, she says work
can feel like a roller coaster. For Kim, resilience is key. She builds
that resilience through engaging in the very mindfulness practices her
platform promotes.
Kim offers these seven tips for building a mindfulness and meditation practice at work:
- Start with five minutes.
It’s a common misconception that to meditate, you need to sit for
long periods of time. That’s not true. You can meditate anytime and
anywhere, even while commuting, during your lunch break or before giving
a presentation.
- Learn to associate five-minute meditations with stressful moments throughout your day.
Whenever you are faced with a challenging task ahead, such as talking
to a difficult boss or employee, take a moment to pause, breathe and
clear your mind first. Don’t just jump into it.
- Aim for consistency.
Even as little as one week of brief, five-minute meditations each day
can bring about improvements in your attention and energy, and can also
lower your stress. Giving yourself this time will help prevent major
burnout. As you build a meditation habit, you will start to become more
aware of when stress is bubbling up and what you can do with your mind,
body and breath to manage it in the moment.
- Mark your calendar.
Like any great habit, consistency is key. Put five minutes of
mindfulness into your calendar every day and set a reminder! This is
especially helpful when you’re stuck in auto-go mode or when your
schedule becomes overwhelmed with a million meetings and to-dos.
- Find your space.
I used to use our office couch to meditate and encouraged our team
members to do the same. But some of our employees prefer to use one of
our conference rooms to have more privacy and stillness. Find the space
that feels comfortable for you. This could be at your desk, in a meeting
room, or even at a nearby park. Ask your office manager to help you
find a set space for your new daily habit.
- Invite your team to join.
Meditation is proven to help reduce stress, sharpen focus, and
improve productivity. Set up a daily time and invite your team to join
you in group meditations. You can also start your weekly team meetings
with a one-minute meditation. By
incorporating meditation into your team’s schedule, you can help foster
a happier, healthier, and more productive environment for the whole
office.
- For leaders, be open about your practice.
Leaders have an opportunity to make workplace meditation more
commonplace simply by opening up about their own practice. Take time to
meditate at work and share about your experience. This will help some of
your employees to feel more comfortable (even inspired) to do the same.
Kim feels that with Simple Habit, she has tapped into her life
purpose. “I love that our company is on a mission to help everyone live
better, every day,” she says. “I believe everyone deserves access to
experts that offer advice and techniques to improve daily well-being. My
career is solving the very problem I had in my own life. The greatest
reward has been impacting human lives in a positive way.”
To other people looking to align their career with their life
purpose, Kim offers this advice. “Mission is very important. If you’re
looking at a new company, ask yourself if you’re passionate about the
company’s mission. Hard days are inevitable, but believing in your work
makes them worth it.”
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