Mindfulness and being an entrepreneur may seem like opposites. Entrepreneurs are always on the go, moving from one meeting to the next, most of the time without stopping to take a breathe, let alone practice mindfulness. That being said, the research shows us how important mindfulness is for everyone, especially people like entrepreneurs. What are some tips for achieving mindfulness in the face of the hectic entrepreneurial lifestyle?
Practice Gratitude Frequently
Time and time again, research proves that the happiest people are the most grateful people. When we stop and take the time to acknowledge all the good in our lives, we instantly increase our mindfulness. When you wake up every day and journal about the things you are grateful for, you will find yourself seeking out those things throughout the day. When you set your mind on gratitude, practicing it becomes like second nature. When it comes to being an entrepreneur, it is easy to compare yourself and your business to others. When you practice gratitude, you can turn this attitude of comparison around into one of gratitude for what you already have and how far you have already come.
Set Aside Time for Thought and Creativity
Thought and creativity are vital to the success of any job, especially that of an entrepreneur. You did not get to where you are without time for critical thinking as well as time to express yourself creatively. Now that you have gotten your business off the ground, it is no time to stop doing those things. In fact, you need time for critical thought and an outlet to express your creativity now more than ever.
Never Engage In Emotional Decision Making
Pocket Mindfulness suggests that you never make decisions on days you feel angry, overly stressed, anxious or generally emotional imbalanced. Why? That is engaging in emotional decision making. Emotional decision making is when you base a decision on emotions rather than fact. If you want to practice and achieve mindfulness, you must remove this habit from your repertoire. For example, maybe you come into the office particularly irritable one day. If the irritability continues throughout the day, take note. You probably don’t want to have that very important conversation with a client today. You may say or do things that you don’t really mean, based on your current emotional state. Reschedule instead.
By focusing your attention on what is happening right now you are practicing the art of mindfulness. It is growing in popularity for its myriad of positive effects. Practicing mindfulness helps to pave the way for clear thought and action.
