In his recent book “Mindful Work,” David Gelles, a business reporter for the New York Times, describes how corporations as diverse as Google, Ford, General Mills, Goldman Sachs, Target, Intel, Aetna and Davos have established corporate mindfulness programs. Last year, Aetna estimated that its mindfulness program saved $2000.00 per employee in healthcare costs, and had similar benefits for productivity. Employees trained in meditation demonstrate improved concentration, exhibit less stress, and are more creative.
What is the secret behind mindfulness? It’s part of the developing science behind neuroplasticity and how altering daily habits of behavior including meditation can impact the function, structure, neurochemical and electrical oscillations in the brain. Research subjects who undergo studies while meditating (e.g. fMRI) have demonstrated increased activity in areas of the brain associated with decreased stress and anxiety and increased focus and problem solving - - all useful traits at work.
Mindfulness practices have also been shown to literally change the nature of your brain waves as measured by an EEG (electroencephalography). Most of the time, our day to day brains exhibit Beta waves (12-30 Hz). Beta waves are relatively fast waves associated with cognitive and other tasks, but can be associated with repetitive thinking patterns and anxiety. By contrast, studies have shown meditators can exhibit slower brain waves form such as Alpha (8-12 Hz) and even slower Theta (3-8Hz).
When alpha waves are prominent in the brain, the mind is typically in a state of relaxed awareness devoid of distracting thoughts. This state is consistent with the practice of mindfulness which involves the moment by moment centering of one's attention to what is arising in the present moment. Studies have associated the presence of alpha waves with creative states and reduced stress.
One of the most interesting areas of research is into the area of “flow states.” Flow states have been described as an “optimal state of consciousness” where we perform at our best. When our attention becomes “so laser-focused that everything else fails away. Action and awareness merge.” And importantly, all aspects of our performance are improved, including “creative performance.” Flow states are generally present when our brain is demonstrating certain levels of Alpha or Theta waves - - both of which are typical of the meditative state. Of course, much more research needs to be done into this area, but with studies from McKinsey and Co. finding executives 500 percent more productive in “flow,” and Stephen Kotler’s “Flow Genome Project” claiming even more provocative results studying scientists, writers and entrepreneurs, it is likely we will see even more corporate interest in mindfulness in the future. Who knows, it may not be surprising to find a meditation room next to the board room in a future corporation.
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