Being mindful – for our togetherness!

Mindfulness is the ability to consciously perceive what is happening: to be present, to be connected with yourself from moment to moment, with your body and emotions – whether pleasant or unpleasant.

Even though mindfulness is frequently described as an individual practice, it can also help us to be more productive, creative and humane with one another.

Dr Nico Rönpagel from WEVOLVE offers mindfulness-based training programmes for companies. He has given sowohntberlin an insight into the topic of mindfulness and presents simple exercises for everyday life in times of working from home and digital communication.

Mindfulness – for myself and others

Mindfulness always begins with yourself, in other words, with an increased awareness of your own thoughts, body and feelings. In principle, you learn to develop a benevolent attention and attitude towards yourself.

Even if mindfulness begins with yourself, it does not end here. On the contrary, mindfulness is a social practice that helps us to become more aware of other people and their moods and needs. For example, empathy and compassion towards colleagues are enormously important in order to work together with joy, trust and confidence.

Especially in these challenging times, in which we are interacting mainly electronically, mindfulness-based methods can help to strengthen unity within the team. The following exercises are suggestions and can be developed further individually and creatively.

Mindfulness – for myself

1. Simply take a breath every now and then!

Take a few deep breaths before you write your next email or pick up the phone. Sit upright and relaxed and close your eyes. Give your breath a rhythm, count to four when inhaling and six when exhaling. As you inhale, you take in strength, as you exhale, you let go.

2. Give yourself breaks

The more connected you are to your body and your emotions, the easier it is for you to feel when you are tense or something doesn’t feel right to you. If you are more mindful and sensitive, you will not try and take everything on at once; you will realise more quickly: “Okay, I need a break now.” Get moving or do something that gives you energy or rest.

3. A personal source of strength

Developing a personal morning ritual in which you do something good for yourself is very rewarding. This can be yoga, a mindful walk or meditation with an app.

Just five or ten minutes of a daily routine like this can be a source of strength in your everyday life. Be disciplined and at the same time be kind to yourself. Make this “appointment with yourself” your most important appointment of the day! The best thing is to make it very early before you even look at your phone for the first time.  

Mindfulness – as part of a team

1. Cultivating a positive attitude

When we become aware that colleagues, partners and customers share the same situation and challenges, we can increase our empathy, understanding and compassion. Through a feeling of “togetherness”, we can develop an optimistic way of thinking and see positive effects regarding the new situation.

If we encourage each other as a team to honestly share how we feel and deal with the new situation, we can encourage solidarity and compassion among ourselves.

2. Establishing mindful communication

Regular, authentic and transparent communication among colleagues and supervisors helps to maintain trust and avoid uncertainty. This also includes the ability to listen to the experiences, difficulties and needs of others. It’s about showing understanding and compassion for their situation.

An atmosphere of trust and solidarity can also be consolidated if employees and managers are honest e.g. when talking about their own challenges in dealing with working from home and family.

3. Supporting social connections via digital channels

Digital communication can contribute to a feeling of separation between colleagues and teams. However, using these channels creatively and sensitively can also support social connections.

For example, sharing our videos in online conversations creates a more personal atmosphere. Shorter meetings (e.g. 20 instead of 30 minutes) help us focus. Regular informal meetings, such as maintain trust or a digital after-work drink, can maintain social connections.

Furthermore, teams can jointly develop creative formats, e.g. walking meetings in the fresh air. The team atmosphere can also be supported by targeted online formats for well-being, such as meditation, yoga or group coaching.

3 questions for Dr. Nico Rönpagel – Trainer for mindfulness exercises

Why are mindfulness and meditation so popular?