Stress Management
Mindfulness is the practice of focusing attention in the present moment. It helps to develop an awareness of thoughts, feelings and physical sensations.
Emotional intelligence, on the other hand, is the ability to correctly recognize, understand and influence one's own and other people's feelings (to reinforce positive feelings and to weaken negative feelings). This ability has a decisive influence on performance, because emotional stress and conflict can be overcome more quickly. We are then better able to regulate our emotions and reactions and reduce stress, anxiety and depression and improve mental wellbeing.
More and more companies are discovering the importance and advantages of topics such as mindfulness, emotional intelligence, flow, resilience and sleep management. Adobe Switzerland, together with Joy Corporate, has started a stress management program for employees to bring these areas of focus closer and to promote them over a long period of time. The employees learn new techniques from the experts to improve general satisfaction and resilience, which they can then apply to their work. It teaches a structured approach to improve self-confidence, concentration and positive attitudes based on the latest advances in neuroscience.
Mindfulness can lead to less intense stress reactions. This has many health benefits, such as lowering blood pressure and strengthening the immune system. Research shows that human attention instinctively focuses on threats and imperfections, especially in the past and in the future. So attention is constantly shifting. Unfortunately, scientists have discovered that we spend half of our day or more with a thoughtful mind. This excessive "dwell time" in standard mode correlates with symptoms such as anxiety, depression and attention deficit. It also tires the brain, which is one reason why you feel completely drained in the evening. We operate in the autopilot far too often, so we do not carry out activities consciously due to the overloading of the brain.
Our conscious attention is the most valuable resource, because mindfulness is a proven way to clear your head and reduce stress.
Harald Seidler, a longtime coach and consultant, advises on the daily use of mindfulness rituals. This can begin in the morning: before any other activity, you should consciously breathe, stretch, and consider a simple goal for the day. For example, staying focused on a task until the end. During the breaks, some exercise should be provided, fresh air and enough water should be drunk. It is also essential to close the email, telephone, etc. at lunchtime and try to disconnect in order to switch off consciously. The diet should focus on complex carbohydrates and avoid fat, sugary foods. At the end of the day, it is advisable to make a final check of your own performance and prepare the next list for the day ahead.
It is important to focus on positive events, even if they are small things. Positive psychology wants to discover what drives us forward and allows us to prosper. It deals with questions such as: "What contributes to happiness?", "What are the health effects of positive emotions?". Negative emotions such as anger, fear and grief can negatively affect our health by triggering our stress response and contributing to chronic stress, making us more susceptible to cardiovascular disease.