Saturday, March 9, 2019
Mindfulness and meditation, two words not often used in corporate or non-profit work sectors; however, Calm, a meditation and relaxation aid named the 2017 iPhone app of the year by Apple itself, promises to help users sleep better, boost confidence and reduce stress and anxiety, all with the help of guided meditations, soothing music, and bedtime stories. Since its launch in 2012, Calm has skyrocketed with more than 40 million app downloads and now has a valuation of over 1billion dollars.
A ‘wonder app’ for some, Calm has been noted to be a savior for teachers as it helps students with stress, anxiety, and digital overload. Sound familiar? I thought so too. More and more, many companies around the world are finally acknowledging their workforce needs balance and time to decompress. Some are converting unused space and installing mediation and quiet rooms in their buildings, while others are adding ‘personal days’ to employees’ vacation and sick benefits package. Once a practice considered only for yogis, hippies, and the enlightened, meditation is suddenly very vogue. “Meditation and mindfulness have had a bad rap for a long time,” said Michael Acton Smith, cofounder of Calm. “It’s associated with woo-woo and weirdness and people in the early days would roll their eyes when we talk about it.” Smith and cofounder Alex Tew are very successfully seeking to change that perception.
In a world that requires us to be on and available 24hours a day 7 days a week, and to be happy about it, mindfulness and meditation is even more necessary. If your employer doesn’t offer a calm space, you can seek sanctuary in numerous ways. Completely exhausted and need to recharge? Put for head down for a quick 10minute nap. Studies show that even a super-fast cat-nap has been shown to increase productivity and energy. Need something more? Take a walk around your building or practice seated yoga. Mindfulness is all about neuroscience-rewiring the brain to understand that despite what we’re constantly told, it is completely normal to turn off, rest, and relax.
