This year has taught us the importance of setting aside time for ourselves to focus on our mental and emotional wellness. A recent survey by the Mental Health Association found:
- 1/3 of U.S. workers report feeling extremely stressed at work
- The annual cost to the American industry in absenteeism, turnover, diminished productivity, and job-related accidents amassed $300 billion
- 48% of workers report being unable to sleep at night due to stress
- 14% of employees have wanted to resort to physical violence due to stress at work
- 45% said stress makes it harder to get along with family members
- 60% use alcohol to escape the stress
- 47% said stress reduced their capacity to be involved in community organization
These statistics highlight the urgency to promote mindfulness and mental and emotional wellness in the workplace. A quote by Stephen Covey perfectly captures the sentiment: “To maintain the P/PC Balance, the balance between the golden egg (production) and the health and welfare of the goose (production capability) is often a difficult judgment call. But I suggest it is the very essence of effectiveness.” To put it simply, you cannot give what you don’t have. You must make time to nourish yourself, even if it means saying no occasionally. The better you treat yourself, the better you can treat others.
A wonderful way to begin your journey towards self-care is to adopt these 7 attitudes of mindfulness.
1. Non-Judgment
Having an opinion is normal and okay. The hard part is choosing not to share your opinion when it isn’t specifically called for.
2. Patience
Have patience with all things and, most of all, with yourself. Patience is all about timing and choosing the right things at the right time.
3. Acceptance
Accept things as they are and work to meet people where they are. Be open to looking at things in new ways.
4. Non-Striving
The more you strive and search for happiness, the more you overlook the possibility that it is here already. Stop and look around you instead of always looking ahead to the next thing.
5. Trust
Trust your instincts and intuition. Your body will help to point you in the right direction. When something feels like it’s out of alignment, it probably is. Learn to trust that you will know what you have to do when you have to do it.
6. Letting Go
Learn how to say no! Avoid the need to be needed and make thoughtful choices about what you will and will not support your mental and emotional wellness. Ask yourself what you can let go of to have a little more time for yourself. Allow others to step in where they can give them the space to get things done; you don’t always have to do “just one more thing.”
7. Beginner’s Mind
Start each day with a fresh mind. Let go of yesterday and don’t waste your time worrying about tomorrow; live in the present. Think about how you start and end your day and work in healthy routines. Give yourself the time you need to get grounded and ready to approach your day with a clean slate.
Now choose one of these 7 attitudes of mindfulness and spend the next week thinking about and working towards mastering it. Take this journey one piece at a time and focus on one attitude to focus on your mental and emotional wellness. Before you know it, you’ll have mastered them all, and you’ll see your work life and your personal life improve, and your stress reduce.
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Contributed by:
Debbie Phillips Ph.D., CPM
Quadrillion President
Debbie Phillips is an internationally recognized real estate professional with over 32 years of experience with diverse property types. As an entrepreneur, Debbie has a multi-faceted career, including developing world-class leadership development programs and talent management strategies. She was recognized in 2019 as a Woman of Influence in Real Estate by Globe Street. She was awarded the first Real Estate Award of Excellence as a Certified Property Manager (CPM) in 2015 by the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM). Debbie also received the 2013 Outstanding Educator Award by the National Apartment Association’s Education Institute.
Edge2Learn is an eLearning company whose focus is the Property Management Industry and specializes in property management training and multifamily education. With over 30 years of experience and a commitment to increase industry excellence, we are passionate about engaging learners to maximize benefits for both companies and employees. Aligned with a well-respected industry leader, Ellis, Partners in Management Solutions, the Edge2Learn platform provides a turnkey solution for clearly identified needs and opportunities. We prepare learners to deliver a superior customer experience and also reduce corporate liability risks and overall employee turnover.
