The Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation for IT Professionals
Let’s sit quietly, take a deep breath, and explore a practice that can help IT Professionals remain calm in their fast-paced, challenging careers.
When most people think of meditation, they think of spiritual or religious forms of mediation. Endless hours of sitting quietly in search of some deeper meaning or deeply religious experience. But there is a form of meditation that is more practical and concerned with connecting you to your present moments than escaping to the astral plane.
The type of meditation I am speaking of is Mindfulness Meditation, or more simply put, Mindfulness.
In a nutshell, Mindfulness is about awareness. It is about pulling your attention into the present moment instead of drifting back into the past or ahead into the future. Mindfulness Meditation is a simple meditation practice that trains you to focus your attention on the present moment. Where your full attention is needed.
It is exercise for your brain.
IT has a lot of distractions, stresses, and challenges. The ability to remain calm and grounded is a superpower. You will be a more effective IT Professional if you are present and anchored in the present moment. With your full attention available to the challenges at hand.
Benefits of Practicing Mindfulness Meditation
Let’s take a look at how Mindfulness can benefit IT Professionals.
Create the Space
When something happens that we don’t like, the tendency is to respond emotionally. Something makes us angry…we immediately respond with anger. Something makes us nervous…we immediately respond with fear. There is no space between stimulus and response. Mindfulness helps us create this space, allowing us to choose a more effective response.
Make More Effective Decisions
The ability to “Create the Space” also allows us to make better decisions. Instead of rushing headlong into a rash decision, Mindfulness gives us the ability to pause and consider our alternatives. How many bad decisions are made because people go with their first instinct instead of weighing out their options? Too many. “Trusting your gut” is important, but the best decisions are made with objectivity vs. emotion.
Decrease Procrastination
Mindfulness lets us take a step back to observe our thoughts. Instead of being “tricked” by thoughts that justify undesirable behaviors, we can see through them. This allows us to identify when we are in a negative habit or pattern–like procrastination. When the thought arises to do something that distracts you from an important project, you will be aware that you are procrastinating. You can then re-focus on what needs to be done.
Be a Better Leader
Strong leaders are calm in the face of chaos. While others around them panic, act rashly or freeze; a great leader calmly looks over a situation and decides the next best course of action. Practicing mindfulness Meditation gives you the ability to pause and evaluate a situation before you react. It helps you to remain calm while others are panicking.
Like Your Job More
Mindfulness helps us see the world more objectively and the part we play in creating our existence. This allows us to accept responsibility to improve our current situation… including our job. Instead of casting blame on things outside our control, we can decide to take matters into our own hands and change our attitude. Or objectively decide the time has come to make a change.
How IT Professionals Can Practice Mindfulness Meditation
Use a Meditation App
Start with a meditation app like Calm, Headspace, or Waking Up (pick your poison). They will help keep you on track and provide you with a “coach” to explain the practice and get you off to a good start.
I personally started my meditation practice using Headspace. It helped me to establish a daily practice. Somewhere along the way, I moved to Waking Up. In the end, the specific app you use isn’t really important. Pick one and get started. You can always experiment and try different apps with different teachers as your practice evolves.
Start Small
You don’t have to meditate for a long time in order for it to be effective. Start with a simple 10 minute guided meditation. It is a low barrier to entry and you can still get incredible results with a simple daily 10-minute meditation. You can build up from there if you want or keep it as a simple 10-minute practice.
Choose a Time
One of the great things about Mindfulness Meditation is that you can practice at any time and any place. But to get the habit started, it is best to choose a time for your mindfulness practice. Find a time of day that you will have minimal distractions and excuses. Commit yourself to meditate daily at that time. Personally, I meditate at lunchtime right after I eat.
Make it a Priority
I like to look at meditation like brushing my teeth. I am never too busy to brush my teeth. I brush my teeth every single day. Why? Because I make it a priority and I do it at a fixed time. Look, you will spend your entire life with the person in your head. Make them your ally instead of your enemy. Prioritize your well-being; practicing Mindfulness Mediation is a great way to do this.
Do yourself a favor and take care of the most valuable asset you have as an IT Professional; your brain.
TL; DR:
- Mindfulness Meditation leads to a healthier brain.
- A healthier brain is a better thinking brain.
- As an IT Professional you need a better thinking brain.
The ability to stay calm, present, and focused is critical for IT Professionals. Mindfulness Meditation is the best way to improve those qualities.
