Corporate mindfulness. At first glance this might seem like an oxymoron. The two terms seem to be at odds, at opposite ends of some intangible scale of behaviour and philosophy. How does the pursuit of career – the high speed, high pressure, high reward life of the city – relate to the practice of meditation?

I am sure that when you hear the term “meditation” there is an involuntary conjuring of images of hippies and eastern mystics sitting under Bodhi trees searching for enlightenment. This is a common reaction and one which leads to the benefits of meditation being prematurely dismissed. The reality of meditative practice has little in common with these projected clichés. Mediators cannot be pigeon-holed into stereotypes any more than corporate workers can simply be reduced to the pejoratively intentioned “suits”.

Mindfulness meditation at its core allows the practitioner to learn to come to terms with the stresses, pressures and difficulties of life. By familiarising yourself with the difficulties, you develop a more skilful approach to the stimuli, robbing them of their power. Mindfulness has been particularly successful in helping people deal with stress, self-criticism and anxiety that comes from constant pressure.

Stress, self-criticism and pressure related anxiety.

Do these sound familiar? Are these not the realities that face people in highly pressured and busy jobs? We accept these unremitting pressures as normal but the cost to individuals and the companies they work for is immense. Corporate burnout is a reality while stress related sickness at work has risen sharply. It was estimated that 11.3 million working days were lost in the UK in 2013/14 due to stress, anxiety and depression. This is an alarming statistic, but fortunately the need to combat stress is recognised throughout the corporate sector and meditation has proven to be successful.

Imagine if you were able to step outside the behavioural patterns that govern us. Imagine how it would be to be able to observe how you related to the stresses of work load, deadlines and the desire for career progression, and respond in a way that alleviates rather than adds to the unavoidable pressures of your work.

Mindfulness gives the practitioner the ability to do this. Beginning by learning to focus on the breath or how the body is physically responding, we anchor ourselves in the present moment, immediately changing our relationship to stresses and pressures. Rather than worrying about a past that cannot be changed or a future that has not yet happened, mediators can short circuit the cycles of worry-self criticism-stress that exacerbate pressured workplace situations and bulging in-trays.

Who in their professional life has not found moments of despair, where a tidal wave of paperwork and expectation threatens to overwhelm us? This reality is often compounded by the undercurrent of self-criticism, thought patterns that further burden us and lead to us re-doubling our efforts as we edge towards burnout. Mindfulness engenders a different attitude to these thoughts. Mediators acknowledge but do not react to the destructive thought patters that drive many of us to try and perform until dropping. The realities and pressures are not denied, in fact the very opposite. Self-critical thoughts about not being able to cope and with the work and looming deadlines are welcomed, but seen simply as judgements, not reality. This kind of worry is debilitating personally and professionally, not to mention futile, so being able to let it go is essential for a more healthy and productive work force.

It must be understood that this is not a trick or a technique that can be quickly learned. There are no shortcuts and the work of the mindfulness mediator is ongoing and requires dedication. Seasoned mediators are still prey to the habitual and destructive patterns of thought but they can notice them and respond accordingly. It is a discipline that has immediate effect but also has more profound, slow-burn rewards for those willing to practice. Perhaps today you could find 10, 20, even 30 minutes in your day to meditate – to stop and simply be. It may change your day, and perhaps your working life.