Secure Base
Sense Of Appreciation
Learning Organisation
Mission and Vision
WellbeingMindfulness
Mindfulness is the basic ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we are doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what is going on around us.
Many studies have demonstrated the positive effects of mindfulness, particularly for people working in health and social care (NICE, 2020); van der Riet et al., 2018) highlight the effectiveness of mindfulness for the wellbeing of healthcare practitioners, and research by Kinman et al. (2019) found wide-ranging benefits for the wellbeing and resilience of social workers.
Kinman et al. found that an eight-week mindfulness training course increased emotional self-efficacy and reduced compassion fatigue and distress. Interviews with participants revealed that mindfulness can benefit many aspects of wellbeing.
In particular, it enhances work-life balance by helping people ‘switch off’ from work concerns and enabling them to replenish their energy and motivation.
This study also found mindfulness can help improve job performance:
- When experiencing pressure, we are more aware of the options we have available to manage it.
- We are able to sharpen our focus and prioritising skills.
- We become more adept at identifying what we can and cannot control in high-stakes situations.
- We carry more energy by reducing wasted effort and enhancing recovery processes.
- We are less judgmental towards others and ourselves, more patient, and trust in our intuition and authority.
Learning to be mindful
Several apps are available that introduce people to mindfulness principles and offer guided meditations; these can be customised to individual needs and contexts. For example, ‘one-minute mindfulness’ exercises can help people recover after difficult meetings and switch off from work when they get home.
Some brief mindfulness techniques include:
- Mindful eating: Paying attention to the taste, sight and textures of what you eat. For example, when drinking a cup of tea or coffee you could watch the steam that it gives off or focus on how hot and liquid it feels on your tongue. Mindful eating can also help us avoid over-eating by making us aware that we are full.
- Mindful walking: If possible, find a quiet space outside to walk. Notice the feeling of your body moving. You might notice the air against your skin, the feeling of your feet on the ground, and the different sights, smells and sounds that are around you.
- Body scan: This involves moving your attention slowly through different parts of the body. Start at the top of your head and gradually move down to your toes. You could focus on feelings of warmth or relaxation of different parts of your body.
- Mindful meditation: Sit quietly and focus on your breathing, your thoughts, your bodily sensations, and what you can hear around you. You might choose to do a systematic body scan (as above), or you could choose to explore bodily sensations randomly as they occur. If your mind wanders, simply notice this is happening and gently try to focus yourself back on the present.
Grant and Kinman recommend:
Both require subscriptions, but others are available free of charge. At the time of writing this workbook, NHS workers have free access to several wellbeing apps (including Headspace). See here for details.