Ep 17. The Positive Effects of Meditation on Performance, Productivity & Wellbeing

Episode Show Notes

I know that you have a lot on your plate and that you push yourself pretty hard to get those things done. 

I also know how pushing and grinding for too long without recovery will affect your well-being, productivity, and performance in the long-run. 

Meditation is a super powerful tool, and science is proving time and time again, its positive effects on mental and physical health. 

And yet, so many are struggling to make it a daily practice. 

Why is that? 

Because of misconceptions, beliefs, fears, and blocks. 

In the previous episode, nr 16, Astrid Gyllenkrok Kristensen was a guest on the show. 

She’s the CEO and co-founder of the FemTech startup Leia Health and she shared some of her tips and tricks on how to stay healthy and sane in the stressful world of being a business owner and mum of three.

She mentioned that practicing meditation was the most important hack and that it made a massive difference in her life.

So I decided to dedicate this episode to explaining what meditation actually does to your brain and exploring the misconceptions and blocks many women have about it. 

The intention of this episode is not to overwhelm you with more to-dos and make you feel bad about yourself for not doing things that are good for you. 

It’s rather about raising knowledge around tools available to reduce the feelings of being overwhelmed and mental fatigue and make you see things about yourself that you were not aware of. Just like a coach is supposed to do :)

Hi ladies, 

When I studied to become a teacher in MBSR, Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction, 

I realized that having a practice of mindfulness and meditation is like a secret super power that you can use in any situation. 

Life will throw you challenges on a regular basis, and this you can’t always control, but you can control how you respond to them. 

A commonly referred quote by Jon-Kabat Zinn, the guy who took mindfulness to the Western world is; “

You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn how to surf”.

And that’s basically what it is about, to have techniques to handle whatever life throws at you. 

And a solid meditation practice is one of them. 

There are many kinds of meditation techniques out there and I would say that all of them are useful and have their benefits. 

Mindfulness is probably the most common one and is also the one backed with the most research so I’m going to zoom in on that one today. 

And no, it is not only for Buddhist monks, it’s being used all over the world by high-flying executives, athletes, and everyone in between.

So what is all about? 

Practicing mindfulness is simply paying attention to what’s going on in your mind, your body, and your surroundings without judging or trying to change anything. It is curious,  accepting, and compassionate. 

When you dedicate some time each day to this, it supports all areas of your life. It really has a ripple effect that stays long after you finish your practice. 

You become kinder to yourself and those around you, reduce stress and anxiety, and boost your cognitive functions. 

I’ve divided this episode into two parts; 

• A client story and the science backing meditation 

• The blocks and misconceptions around meditation

Starting with the client story. 

I just sent a text to a former client just now to ask if she’s still meditating now months after her program finished and she does! 

She reports that she meditates 4 days a week consistently. Sometimes more but never less. She says that it helps her become self-aware and centered. And because it helps her feel more centered she can then focus on what is important and spend less time on things that aren’t. She’s not as overwhelmed in my mind and she’s able to more easily identify the important things. She usually meditates in the evening because of her schedule and does notice a deeper and more slumber sleep when she meditates.

And I can just sign off on all of these things for myself too. 

Let’s start by diving into the science of meditation and why this is. 

The Meditation - Performance Connection

The scientific community has been buzzing with research on the effects of meditation, especially in the last few decades. Here’s what they found:

• Boost in Cognitive Abilities: Meditation helps improve attention, memory, and cognitive flexibility. For women leaders like you, this means quicker decision-making, sharper focus, and a more adaptable mindset.

• Reduction in Stress: At its core, meditation is about relaxation and presence. By practicing consistently, you lower the stress hormone cortisol in your body.

• Emotional Regulation: Ever found yourself in a situation where you had to make a tough call and emotions were running high? Meditation helps you to respond rather than react, giving you the emotional balance needed to lead effectively.

The Meditation-Productivity Connection

So, how does a calm mind translate to increased productivity?

• Improved Concentration: One of the immediate benefits of meditation is a significant improvement in concentration. This means fewer distractions and more ‘deep work’.

• Boosted Creativity: By calming the chatter of the mind, meditation allows for the free flow of ideas, sparking creativity and innovation.

• Better Decision Making: A clearer mind results in better decisions. As leaders, every decision counts. Meditation ensures that you’re making them from a place of clarity, not chaos.

Meditation and Well-being

Beyond performance and productivity, meditation has profound effects on overall well-being.

• Improved Sleep Patterns: With a calm mind, falling asleep becomes easier. And you know too well the importance of a good night's sleep for a leader.

• Mental Resilience: Facing challenges head-on is part of leadership. Meditation builds a kind of mental resilience, allowing you to face challenges with calm & clarity. 

• Improved Relationships: Whether it's with your team, peers, or family, a calm and present attitude results in more meaningful interactions and connections.

So now you know why there are a bunch of great reasons to meditate. But, we are not always logical robots, but human beings. 

So let’s look at some common misconceptions and blocks: 

"I don't have time for meditation". 

"I can't sit still for that long". 

“I can’t meditate because I can’t stop my thoughts from coming”.  (And by the way, no one can, so you’re fine. And it’s also not the point of meditation.) 

“This is not productive, I’m not doing anything” 

In my experience, many of these things are fears and blocks. As a coach, I like to look for the thing under the thing. 

That is, what belief about yourself do you have that makes taking 10 minutes for yourself, too much?

What thoughts are you afraid of that will catch up with you when you pay attention? 

How much stress and anxiety do you have in your body and mind that makes it impossible to be still? 

What belief about yourself says that you have to produce something 24/7? And what is that costing you? 

And some deep ones; 

I can’t take time for myself. 

I feel guilty for taking time for myself. 

What does this say about your self-esteem? How important are your needs, really? And where else is this showing up in your life not being able to express your needs? 

These are the kinds of things that get uncovered in the coaching with me. 

You can google the benefits of meditation and how to start, but the implementation of new habits and self-care into your daily life is the tricky part. And that’s usually where we need help. 

I also work with my clients on changing the narrative around self-care, as a daily necessity and not just a luxury that you do once/year at a spa. 

This is what makes high-performance sustainable for real. 

So if you are curious about uncovering some of these beliefs for yourself, let’s talk. Either through a 90-minute strategy session or fill out a work-with-me application to schedule a discovery call. 

There I will ask questions to see where you are now and where you would like to be, and what has been getting in your way. And tell you more about my program to see if we are a great fit.

I would love to talk to you! 

Remember, you are a human being, not a human doing. And prioritizing yourself will give more of you to the world. 

Until next time, take care of yourself and go be a badass!