The practice of mindfulness has been gaining in popularity due to its benefits being widely publicised. Through research the practice has been linked to increases in productivity, reduced stress, and improved self-awareness, in addition to many other positive outcomes. However, techniques to increase mindfulness are not being used as widely as they could be by the people who could really benefit from them – business executives. Dr Patricia Thompson, an experienced corporate psychologist and executive consultant, aims to change that with the launch of her online course, Executive Mindfulness.
Mindfulness can help improve concentration and mental clarity, attributes that can help executives achieve more in their professional lives. However, for many of them the prospect of fitting courses or retreats into a busy schedule can be a challenge. The online course was designed to fit in with the routines of professionals with demanding calendars by allowing them to go through it at their own pace at a time that suits them.
Dr Thompson, who has an award-winning background in psychology and the experience of working within a corporate environment, created the course to give leaders a convenient and practical way to learn mindfulness strategies that could be easily applied in the workplace.
Dr Thompson said: “Across the years I have had the honour of coaching numerous executives, and mindfulness has really helped them. However, what I have found is that although mindfulness is increasingly talked about in business circles, and there are some big companies that have invested in programmes to teach it, many corporations I work with seem to be at the beginning stages of learning about it. As a result, they don’t have any systematic ways for leaders to learn how to apply mindfulness in their professional lives. Since not everyone has the luxury of being able to work one-on-one with an executive coach, I wanted to put together a programme that would provide the information, resources and step-by-step guidance to help professionals to develop an effective mindfulness practice on their own.”
Numerous successful business people have practiced mindfulness, among them Steve Jobs, Sir Richard Branson and Oprah Winfrey. The benefits experienced by the individuals that have already taken up mindfulness can now be gained through the online course. With her unique experience of working with leaders in a corporate setting, Dr Thompson has created an online course that uses relevant examples and language that resonates with executives.
Dr Thompson added: “In my work, I have seen the significant benefits that mindfulness has had on my clients’ life. It gives them greater confidence and resilience. It improves their interpersonal and communication skills. It helps them to behave with intention. It allows them to have greater control over their emotions. It increases their productivity. And, the benefits trickle over into their personal lives and important relationships.”
For individuals who are curious about how mindful they currently are in their day-to-day work, Dr Thompson has also created a quiz.
