I want to excel in my career and achieve the goals I’ve always dreamed of.
But not at the expense of my mental well-being.
Im a big believer in the “effort = output” equation, but also, that there are techniques, knowledge and methods out there—backed by science—that can help us perform better and feel better at the same time.
Techniques that not enough people are talking about.
Back in 2007, Google introduced a groundbreaking program called "Search Inside Yourself." This initiative was build on mindfulness and neuroscience insights, and aimed at improving employee productivity and well-being.
The program reportedly yielded 31% reduction in stress and a 15% boost in overall well-being.
Today, we’re looking at another fascinating workplace mindfulness program—one that brings together many insights we have previously looked at here at OptiMindInsights.
Today’s insights is drawn from the scientific article:
“A Workplace Mindfulness Intervention May Be Associated With Improved Psychological Well-being and Productivity. A Preliminary Field Study in a Company Setting”
Today's newsletter
Takeaways:
👩🏫 Psychoeducation strengthens the effect:
Once again, in today’s article one of the key points hinted at is: Understanding how techniques work—and the results they deliver—strengthens their effectiveness.
At OptiMindInsights, the mission is to bring you the knowledge about these techniques, in order for you to see the tangible results.
☀️ Mindfulness benefits go beyond stress relief:
Mindfulness training not only reduces stress but also enhances team dynamics, productivity, and workplace atmosphere.
The study in a nutshell:
In today’s study the authors are testing the effects of something called the “WorkingMind” Workplace Mindfulness Training (WMT) program.
To test it, the program was implemented in four European companies. The program combined 10 weeks of mindfulness practices, psychoeducation (educational sessions about stress mechanisms, resilience, and emotion regulation), and group interactions to address burnout, stress, and workplace well-being.
The results showed significant reductions in stress and burnout, alongside notable improvements in mindfulness, productivity, and team dynamics.
These are extremely interesting findings for young professionals – especially those aiming to become leaders.
So, lets look at them in greater detail.
What they did:
10 week intervention period consisted of:
Mindfulness Practices: Meditation, body scans, and mindful communication.
Psychoeducation: Training on stress responses, resilience, and emotional regulation.
Group Sessions: Activities to encourage mindful interactions, such as team meetings and email practices.
Participants practiced mindfulness daily using app-based tools for at least 10 minutes.
The measurements were:
The measurements consisted of validated self-report questionnaires assessed:
Burnout: Burnout Measure (BM), Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ).
Mindfulness: Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI), Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS).
Well-Being: WHO-Five Well-Being Index.
Team and Organizational Climate: Landau Organization and Team Climate Inventory (LOTI).
Personal Performance: Productivity and stress measures.
Burnout and Stress: The intervention significantly reduced burnout and perceived stress.
Mindfulness and Well-Being: Mindfulness scores improved substantially, particularly in sub-measurements presence and acceptance, with large effect sizes. Psychological well-being showed moderate improvements.
Team and Organizational Climate: Workplace dynamics improved, including better team cooperation, decision-making, respect, and atmosphere, with small to medium effect sizes.
Personal Performance: Participants reported higher productivity and reduced stress, with medium effect sizes.
What can we learn from this study?
The “WorkingMind” program showed promising results, with reduced burnout and stress, improved mindfulness, well-being, better workplace dynamics, and higher individual productivity.
While these findings highlight the potential of mindfulness training in the workspace, you need to be aware of some limitations to the study before you propose this intervention to your boss.
For example, the lack of a control group and the reliance on self-reported data means the results should be interpreted cautiously.
This study, despite its limitations, offers preliminary evidence of the benefits of mindfulness training for both employees and organizations.
Combined with the findings from other meditation studies we’ve reviewed, it’s clear that implementing meditation has significant potential for enhancing mental performance and overall well-being.
Quick Answers to Your Top of Mind Questions
🙋♀️ In short, how does mindfulness improve my work life?
According to this study, it reduces stress and burnout, boosts emotional resilience, and fosters better teamwork and individual productivity.
🙋♂️ Why is more research needed?
Without a control group and long-term data, the results can’t be fully confirmed yet. We cant know for sure if the observed effects is truly due to the intervention – the “WorkingMind”-program, or some other random effects.
Other resources we found this week
I know I have shared this before, but our microbiome affects so much of who we are and how we function.
Think of your gut-flora as your main resiliency factory. The happier and more diverse your bacteria, the better and more balanced you will feel and be.
That’s why I’m excited to share that My friend, Jenny Eden Berk, MSEd is offering her self-guided challenge “Makeover your Microbiome” as a free resource exclusively for this audience!
Grab it here.
Another cool thing I get to share this week concerns a nice strategy for making a profitable site-hustle.
Do you have a skill or knowledge from your career or hobby that could solve a significant problem?
In this free training, Simon from The Raw Leader shows you exactly how he built an extremely profitable online course business in his spare time—and how you can do it too!
You can watch the webinar here.
Want to Improve your time management?
Time management = productivity, and productivity, well.. it’s not unimportant for success thats for sure.
Grab Rainwater Growth’s time management guide here.
Disclaimer: The above is based on the article “A Workplace Mindfulness Intervention May Be Associated With Improved Psychological Well-Being and Productivity. A Preliminary Field Study in a Company Setting” by Wendy Kersemaekers, Silke Rupprecht, Marc Wittmann, Chris Tamdjidi, Pia Falke, Rogier Donders, Anne Speckens & Niko Kohls and aims to provide key takeaways and a condensed overview of its content. While the essence is drawn from the original article, some parts have been simplified or rephrased to enhance understanding. Please note that we at, OptiMindInsights or any other potential writers or contributors to our summaries, do not accept responsibility for any consequences arising from the use of this summary. The information provided should not be considered a substitute for personal research or professional advice. Readers are encouraged to consult the original article for detailed insights and references. The summary does not include references, but they can typically be found within the original publication. Always exercise due diligence and consider your unique circumstances before applying any information in your personal or professional life. We refer to the creative commons for reproducibility rights.
