Executive leaders juggle numerous responsibilities and high-stakes projects during their busy days. As those demands intensify, it becomes even more important for these leaders to maintain clear and focused minds. Amid a whirlwind of meetings, emails and strategic planning, smart leaders practice mindfulness to enhance not only their personal wellbeing, but also the effectiveness of their leadership.
Below, 17 Forbes Coaches Council members share valuable tips and practices for maintaining mindfulness during even the busiest of days to help leaders enjoy more productive, satisfying and balanced lives.
1. Introduce The Habit Of Taking ‘Mindful Pauses’
Set up a periodic alert throughout your day. When it rings, take a moment to breathe and observe your thoughts. Reflect on achievements, interactions and decisions made. Then consciously express gratitude for those accomplishments and experiences. This practice will not only keep you grounded, but also cultivate an attitude of appreciation. – Anna Tan, Coaching Go Where
2. Schedule Time For Mindfulness Exercises
Schedule it in. I always say, “Show me your calendar, and I’ll show you your priorities.” Schedule short breaks for mindfulness exercises. Taking just a few minutes to focus on your breath, observe your surroundings or practice gentle stretching can help you stay present, reduce stress and improve decision-making. – Doug Holt, The Powerful Man
3. Practice Mindful Listening
Make a conscious effort to truly listen to the people around you, whether in a meeting, a casual conversation or even during a phone call. Often, in our haste to get things done, we find ourselves merely waiting for our turn to speak, rather than really hearing and understanding what others are saying. This practice of mindful listening can boost your presence, engagement and contributions throughout the day. – Lara Augusta, Embracing Potentiality
4. Ensure Transition Times Between Meetings
Don’t schedule meetings without integrated transition times, and talk about why you’re doing it. This simple practice allows for five to ten minutes of graceful transition between meetings, yet the benefits are significant. Modeling this behavior by committing to end your own meetings just a bit early gives others permission to do the same—and this helps create a high-trust, high-respect organization. – Quentin Finney, Pause i/O
5. Review Your Identity Statement
A simple practice for executive leaders to stay mindful throughout their busy day is to regularly review their identity statement, reinforcing their alignment with their mission in how they think, act and feel. – Pascal Bachmann, Strategy Achievers LLC
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6. Integrate Mindfulness Into Daily Activities
Beyond formal sessions of focused breathing, integrating mindfulness into daily activities is essential to leadership success. We should strive to incorporate moments of mindfulness into our everyday activities, such as during meetings or engaging conversations, by focusing on the present moment. The more we listen attentively and are fully present with the people we interact with, the more mindful we become. – Izabela Lundberg, Legacy Leaders Institute
7. Adopt A ‘Mindful Minute’
A simple minute of focused breathing, three times a day, can enhance calm, focus and balance, integral attributes for successful leadership. When starting the day, post-lunch and before wrapping up work, it punctuates your day with clarity. This small, yet impactful, step toward mindfulness can help you navigate leadership with ease and efficiency. – Farshad Asl, Top Leaders, Inc.
8. Start With A Minute-Long Breathing Technique
Several leaders are hesitant about undertaking mindfulness practices. They say they don’t have enough time for that. I suggest they start with a brief, one-minute practice that enables them to detach during crucial moments. Taking a moment to focus on their breath is one of the simplest techniques to facilitate disconnection, allowing them to reconnect with their optimal state of being. – Paula Vidal Castelli, Paula Vidal Castelli Intl., LLC
9. Take Breaks To Walk And Disconnect From Electronics
Take breaks to go on walks or engage in meditation exercises. This includes disconnecting from your electronic devices. Although leaders may feel that their time is too valuable to take a break, these brief moments can increase overall productivity and happiness. – Michael Timmes, Insperity
10. Take Intentional Breaths Between Each Activity
Pause for intentional breaths every time you transition from one activity to the next, such as between meetings and before writing an email or making a call. Feel your feet on the floor, and then intentionally breathe in and out five to ten times, slowly and deeply—it’s a game-changer. – Silvia Vernaschi, The Mind Bliss Coaching
11. Consistently Focus On Setting Intentions
In my work with leaders, mindfulness is more about intentionality—making good choices. Embody a daily practice by creating structures and involving others. Start every conversation with an exchange or roundtable: “What’s one intention you set for yourself in this meeting?” The success of any interaction is mostly determined by the inner condition of those who are interacting. Choose how you show up. – Duncan Skelton, Duncan Skelton Coaching Ltd
12. Be Sensitive To The Team And The Environment
Increasing their sensitivity to their team and the environment may help an executive leader pay more attention to how their team can step in. Often, executives are so focused on driving the strategy, they forget to provide development opportunities to their team. – April Sabral, April Sabral Leadership
13. Celebrate Small Wins, And Use Pattern Interruption
Recognize incremental wins, celebrate small victories and measure progress. And use the pattern interruption technique: change the physical environment, do mindfulness exercises, change up routine activities and take scheduled breaks. These techniques foster increased mindfulness by breaking the cycle of automatic, unconscious behavior and creating opportunities for reflection, focused and mindful action. – Alina Trigubenko, Profi
14. Get Out Of Your Head And Into Your Body
Being constantly “switched on” can be hugely depleting—and it seriously undermines your presence, creativity and innovation. So I ask the executives I coach, “What can you do to get out of your head and into your body?” This looks different for different leaders. Some may choose to walk, others may choose to breathe deeply. Whatever comes up for them, I invite them to incorporate this into their day. – Afsheen Ismail-Wey, The Phoenix Coaching Co.
15. Use Visual Notes And Reminders
This practice is something I use as a coach with executive leaders due to the competing focus for their time and attention. Simply posting small (or big) notes that have a few words or a sentence on them as reminders to do something immediately tells the brain that it must be important. The slight shift can be the accelerant needed to stay on track with what’s most important. – Joshua Miller, Joshua Miller Executive Coaching
16. Build Out Some Self-Administered ‘House Rules’
Build out some self-administered “house rules” that you carry in your pocket. Some that could work might sound like: “Listen first; don’t judge.” “Actions, not titles, earn respect.” “Respond; don’t react.” I could go on. You could share them, but the important thing is that you keep them. And if you break them, you must be accountable to others—maybe just your mentor(s) at first. House rules build habits. – John M. O’Connor, Career Pro Inc.
17. Identify A Code Word For The Day
Identify a code word for the day, and every time you hear that word, take the opportunity to take part in a mindfulness activity, such as practicing gratitude, taking three deep breaths, observing your thoughts or focusing on what’s around you. Choose an activity that can be completed even when others are present. – Dr. Sharon H. Porter, Vision & Purpose LifeStyle Magazine and Media
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