Unfortunately, many businessmen still wear the title ‘overworked’ as a badge of honour. Staying back late at the office has been a thing of sacrificial beauty for quite some time, often synonymous with working hard and being dedicated. But things are changing.
Workplaces of all shapes and sizes are beginning to place more importance on mental wellbeing. Chances are that those late nights stuck to your computer screen or pouring over plans and reports will come with a price that will come back to bite your effectiveness at a later date. Some of the world’s top businessmen, athletes, scientists and creatives are leading the way in promoting the value of improved mindfulness, especially amongst the male working community. There are some blokes out there who believe personal wellbeing practices such as meditation are still namby-pamby pursuits undertaken by long-haired hippies in tie-dyed baggy yoga pants, but many of the most powerful, influential, smartest, and toughest men meditate on a daily basis. Here’s why.
WHY MEDITATE?
Why carve a little time out of each day to find yourself a quiet space for meditation? Here are just two of the many benefits of meditating, especially for busy CEOs and general managers.
TO CONTROL STRESS & GAIN BETTER CLARITY OF MIND.
With so many problems, challenges, setbacks and opportunities to juggle in your head, it can be difficult to switch off. For family men, sometimes this never really happens, even when you’re at home spending time with the kids. With so much going on at work, remembering the things that are really important to your mental wellbeing can be a challenge. Meditation provides the means to take a deep breath, clear the mind and relax. In this relaxed state, gaining better control over the anxiety and stress surrounding your busy mindset is possible. As is understanding the importance of leaving work at work, and being 100% present when you come home to your family, catch up with friends, or spend time enjoying your hobbies.
TO LEARN HOW TO FOCUS YOUR THOUGHTS & BE MORE PRODUCTIVE.
If you’re someone whose typical working day is filled with a million tiny tasks that need addressing, focusing on one thing at a time can be a real challenge. Your mind may flit from one problem to the next without fully resolving anything. Meditation assists you to focus your thoughts and lengthen your attention span so that you can deal with one issue at a time and make more productive decisions.
WHO MEDITATES?
So whose lives have been changed through meditation? Hugh Jackman, Kobe Bryant, Steve Jobs, George Lucas, David Lynch, Rupert Murdoch and Bill Ford all reportedly meditate. Jeff Weiner, CEO of LinkedIn and billionaire investor Ray Dalio also meditate regularly. Many powerful and successful men meditate to enhance their cognitive thinking, reduce stress and foster their mental wellbeing. This, they all claim, assists them to work more productively and creatively.
HOW TO FIND TIME TO MEDITATE
You might be thinking that this is all well and good, but when are you meant to find the time to meditate and practice an improved state of mindfulness? You probably have tasks of varying levels of urgency coming out of the wazoo. While it can be challenging to let go of certain roles within your job, delegation is critical to maintaining a healthy work/life balance. The first step to finding more time to centre your thoughts and focus your mind is offloading a few of those extra tasks to others. Know your team’s strengths and transfer smaller jobs accordingly. You can’t possibly do everything yourself and keep up full energy levels and brain capacity simultaneously. Know your limits, utilise your team and find time to nurture your greatest asset; your mind.
Is one of the pressing tasks taking up a large chunk of your time the marketing of your business? Delegate your marketing needs to Ronin to free up more time for focusing on your mental wellbeing. We can lift a massive weight from your shoulders and use our professional skills to enhance your marketing strategy. Contact us today to arrange a consultation and take the first step to find more time for meditation in your working day.
