Summary: Perhaps one of the most surprising - and promising - trends in business today is the rise of mindfulness in the workplace. From small companies to multinational corporations, more and more people are meditating on the job, and with good reason: mindfulness can make us more focused, more effective, and happier. At first, the notion of yoga and meditation in the office seems like the province of Silicon Valley start-ups where employees bring their dogs to work and play football in the lobby. But in recent years, mindfulness has gone mainstream - as New York Times staff writer David Gelles shares in MINDFUL WORK: How Meditation is Changing Business from the Inside out. As David shares, many of America’s largest companies, such as General Mills, Target, Google, and Aetna, have built extensive programs to foster mindful practices among their workers. This is because — as employees and employers are discovering, and psychologists and cognitive scientists have confirmed — mindfulness has tangible benefits. For workers, meditation lowers stress, increases mental focus, and alleviates depression. For companies, a more mindful workforce is more productive. Join Julie Ann and David for this insightful investigation into the growing trend among major companies, including Fortune 100 giants, to promote mindful activities like meditation and yoga in the workplace, and its often surprising effects on productivity, strategy, and employees’ mental health ... as well as keys to balancing home life and personal relationships, future economic ramifications; and passing down a legacy of mindfulness to our children.
