The Benefits of Meditation for Busy Executives
Corporate life is non-stop. There are many of us who feel like from the moment we wake up and guzzle that first cup of coffee, until the time our head hits the pillow at the end of the day, there is always something to be done.
Being successful in any career means hard work, dedication, and the willingness to give it your all. But did you know that taking a few moments every day for yourself can help you get more done?
Believe it or not, meditating for even a few minutes every day can boost your productivity, provide more mental clarity, relieve stress, and help you accomplish more! This article will take a closer look at why meditation is making a comeback and how implementing a daily meditation regimen is a great way for busy professionals to feel better, at home and at work.
Meditation in Today’s Society
A percentage of people have practiced meditation as a regular stress-relieving exercise for decades. Despite its benefits, that percentage has always been small, a fringe group of trendy hipsters who eat lots of granola and have more than one pair of Birkenstocks.
But the younger generation is adopting the practice at a much higher rate, and it's not just the hipsters anymore. Around 14% of adults in the U.S. say they have recently meditated, and around 23% of Gen Z say they meditate on a regular basis. That’s more than double the percentage of Baby Boomers who say the same.
Technology has made meditation even easier to incorporate into your daily routine, even for beginners. There are numerous apps you can download for your phone or tablet that make meditation easy and accessible, even for beginners. That fact might be contributing to the number of younger people who are trying out the practice.
The Benefits of Meditation
The benefits of meditation have been studied and researched for years. But because there are so many ways to meditate and measuring the positive benefits is challenging, there are very few scientific studies into the topic.
However, the studies that have been done have found a correlation between meditation and a greater quality of life. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, meditation may have a wide range of health benefits, including:
Reduced Stress, Anxiety, and Depression
Studies have shown that mindfulness meditation gets results when used as a treatment for stress-related disorders, anxiety, and depression compared to no treatment at all. Another study found that meditation produced better results when compared with other treatment options.
High Blood Pressure
A review of 14 separate studies done in 2020 found that people with preexisting conditions who practiced mindfulness meditation had a significant drop in blood pressure.
Sleep Conditions and Sleep Quality
A recent study found that mindfulness meditation practices were better for improving sleep quality than some other treatments and produced similar results to other evidence-based treatments, like exercise and cognitive behavioral therapy.
Other research has found that meditation and mindfulness have benefits for people struggling with substance abuse disorders, PTSD, pain, and psychological symptoms associated with chronic illnesses like cancer, and help people stick to a weight loss regime.
Meditation for Professionals and Executives
Incorporating meditation into your daily life can go a long way toward improving your mood, reducing stress and anxiety, and helping you regain focus. And all those things can benefit people who have busy, stress-filled careers.
But aside from making you feel better, meditation can help you get better results in your career. Here’s how:
Improved Focus and Attention
Better Decision-Making Ability
Better Ability to Regulate Emotions
Greater Productivity
Improved Job Satisfaction
Meditation takes practice. It’s not something you’re going to master right away. But there is good news for mental health therapists and others in a high-stress environment, like professionals pursuing a nursing career path or a teaching career path. Even a few minutes of quiet reflection and solitude can make a difference. Make small changes and don’t worry if you don’t feel like you’re “doing it right.” Just give it your best shot and you will reap the benefits.
Conclusion
Meditation might not be right for everyone, and greater research is needed to discover the benefits of the practice. But based on what studies have already shown, it might be worth trying it for yourself. If there’s a free, relaxing way to relieve stress, improve depression symptoms, gain greater focus, and be more productive at work, why wouldn’t you give it a shot?