5 TEDx Talks on How to be More Mindful in Work and Life

These TEDx talks teach the power of mindfulness and how it can help overcome common obstacles in your business and your life.

Although we know it's best to be fully present in everything we do throughout the day--it's tough to do this without practice and guidance on how to stay focused. 

When we are exposed to so many alerts, notifications, and other electronic distractions, it's easy to lose our ability to pay attention to those around us--co-workers, employees, clients, and even family members. And then there are the everyday stresses and worries of our normal wandering mind.

What I have found is that when we are not mindful, we miss opportunities in both business and life--chances to connect with people, solve problems and explore business deals in a new way. But perhaps most of all, we miss the opportunity to learn how to not have a negative reaction to things we cannot control. 

Mindfulness is being actively aware of what you are doing while you are doing it or fully present in the moment. But it's not easy -- how many times have you drifted off while a co-worker speaks to you, or get distracted by the myriad of notifications that come your way throughout the day.

When we get distracted, how does that make the other person feel when they have prepared to meet with us and put in the time to present their ideas? In my corporate and personal life, when someone I meet with gets distracted with writing or responding to emails, it makes me feel that what I have to say is not important. In turn, that has affected how I feel about him or her as a co-worker leader.

Of course, I've been guilty of this lack of attentiveness too. I went through a journey myself when I had to pull back from all the demands of my life in order to better connect with those around me. (I discuss this in more detail in my TEDx Talk.) This journey taught me how not being mindful of how I feel--and how others feel--creates missed moments in my life and business because I'm not paying attention to the details.  

It can be helpful to find guidance and set up reminders to be more mindful when we feel out of balance. In those moments, I have found that TEDx Talks can be a great source of inspiration.

Here are five of my favorite talks on the subject of mindfulness. Each teaches something different about being present and how to implement mindfulness into every aspect of your life.  

1. "All it Takes is 10 Mindful Minutes"

Mindfulness begins by setting aside time for yourself. In this TEDx Talk, mindfulness expert Andy Puddicombe explains the power of doing nothing--no texting, no talking--for 10 minutes every day, and how this small time frame (which everyone has the time for) is a simple way to refresh your mind by experiencing more of the present moment. This talk has helped me weave in mindfulness exercises during my day.

2. "How to Stay Calm When You Know You'll be Stressed"

We often focus on mindfulness to calm our minds after a stressful event. But what about when you know one is on the way? In this TEDx Talk, Neuroscientist Daniel Levitin says you can avoid making mistakes in stressful situations by thinking ahead to what they may be and how they may affect you. I found this helpful whenever I have to face a challenging meeting or conversation.

3. "In Praise of Slowness"

There is a saying that in order to go fast, you have to go slow. A fast pace doesn't always equate greater production or success, and often has the opposite effect. But by slowing down, and being more mindful of our thoughts and actions, we can actually achieve more. In this talk, journalist Carl Honore discusses the advantages of putting the brakes on our go-go-go lifestyles. I utilize this for when I instruct my staff to complete certain tasks. If I don't slow it down, I can miss sharing vital information or not listening to feedback my team needs to succeed.

4. "The Art of Stillness"

Business days often feel like a non-stop sprint where it's hard to slow down and rest even for a few minutes. Like with the 10 minutes of doing nothing approach, Pico Iyer's talk explores the incredible insight people can be achieve by taking time for stillness, and offers strategies on how to take back minutes in our days.

5. "The Practice of Mindfulness"

Diana Winston is a former Buddhist nun and currently the Director of Mindfulness Education at UCLA's Mindful Awareness Research Center. in her TEDx Talk, she explains how stress affects our mental and physical health, and shares the science behind the benefits of a mindfulness practice. This is a great talk to help you better understand the connection between the mind and the body.

Mindfulness is something you have to consciously work at all of the time in order to feel the benefits in our business and personal life. As these experts show, your mind has the ability to do wonderful things when given the chance and helps you better connect with those around you

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON INC.COM: MAY 24, 2018