Mindfulness makes you smart

Sigi Lange, cofounder of Capacity Trust and professional speaker, is a guru on emotional intelligence, which is a big factor in determining work-related success. “The good news is emotional intelligence can be taught. And mindfulness is the foundation of emotional intelligence. One should first become aware of one’s feelings and thoughts. You can’t be emotionally intelligent without being mindful of your emotions. Hence you need to become aware of your own emotions and those of the people around you in order to manage them,” Sigi explains.The correlation between emotional intelligence and mindfulness lies in increasing self-awareness and self-management, leading to certain attitudes and behaviours changing. Using that awareness to implement change in oneself or at the workplace is the next step, which is emotional intelligence.According to Peerayuth Charoensukmongkol (2015) mindfulness meditation helps manifest emotional intelligence in three main ways: improving the ability to comprehend one’s own thoughts, learning to recognise the emotions of others and strengthening the ability to control one’s own emotions.“Mindfulness is a way to become a silent observer of one’s inner thoughts and feelings without judging or changing them,” explains Sigi.The simplest way to do this is to focus on the present and just to pay attention to your breath without trying to change anything – just observing and accepting. When you notice your mind wandering, which is totally normal, especially in the beginning, just bring your attention back to your breath, Sigi says. After some practise you will be able to achieve a state of peacefulness and calmness much quicker. “Especially in stressful situations a few deep, mindful breaths can help clarify chaotic thoughts.”An important component of emotional intelligence is to self-regulate feelings and thoughts to gain control of them. By recognising emotions as well as the physical reactions matching them, you can identify where they come from and find creative solutions to finally master them. Dawa Tarchin Phillips, a mindful leadership expert, identifies four main areas of emotional intelligence in leadership that can be developed and enhanced through mindfulness: self-awareness, social awareness, self- and relationship management. “The ability to recognise and assess your own emotions and reactions as well as those of others and to use that information to make better mindful decisions enhances your leadership qualities.” Imagine a situation in which you need to be productive, but you can’t concentrate due to negative thoughts and feelings. Practising mindfulness can be helpful by making you aware of your current emotional state. After a few mindful moments you are more likely to manage your emotions effectively and improve your productivity. Furthermore, you will be able to deal with failure better and to regain confidence sooner. The benefits of mindfulness range from long-lasting and well-functioning relationships with others to higher levels of leadership performance. “It allows you to overlook recent situations and issues and to get anotherperspective as a neutral observer. You’re able to identify areas needing improvement, so you can work on them effectively. It also helps you move between mental tasks more consciously and with greater cognitive ease due to better adaptability.”Sigi describes impulsiveness as a very common problem in daily decision-making processes. Instead of reacting to emotional impulses and letting feelings govern interactions, you can choose a more effective way of expressing yourself.“When you adopt a supportive and empathetic leadership style with high emotional intelligence skills, showing your subordinates or co-workers you understand and you care, a better work atmosphere will emerge which your team will appreciate. This will increase the quality of their work.”Positivity, comprehension, empathy and calmness are contagious, says Sigi.“The greatest reward you get from being emotionally intelligent towardsco-workers, team-members, subordinates or whoever, is trust. The time you spend observing, listening and communicating mindfully with others results in trust everyone benefits from.” www.capacitytrust.com, president@psanamibia.org

Mindfulness makes you smart

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Namibian Sun 2025-01-09

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Mindfulness makes you smart

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Namibian Sun 2025-01-09

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