Concerned that your inability to concentrate might affect your productivity at work? You might be interested in the results of a powerful scientific study.
According to an announcement posted on Physorg.com, mental exercises can actually impact brain structure in as little as two months. As one researcher explained:
This study demonstrates that changes in brain structure may underlie some of these reported improvements and that people are not just feeling better because they are spending time relaxing.
The scientists asked their experimental group to spend an average of 27 minutes a day on a practice called “mindful meditation.” This term might sound strange for a university program led by qualified medical doctors, but in reality “mindful mediation” is merely taking time to “[focus] on nonjudgmental awareness of sensations, feelings and state of mind.” After eight weeks, brain scans showed “increased grey-matter density in the hippocampus, known to be important for learning and memory” as well as “decreased grey-matter density in the amygdala, which is known to play an important role in anxiety and stress.”
© Flickr user @boetter
To suggest that the connection between mindfulness and brain structure could hint at a link between concentration and productivity is not a big leap. Science is starting to prove that if you focus openly and intently, you will think more clearly and experience less stress.
At AccelaWork, we’ve been talking for years about the challenges of distractions at the workplace. When you can’t concentrate or take time for yourself, it’s no surprise that you get less done and become frustrated. Take time to be mindful, and give others space to devote to their work. You’ll soon discover yourself becoming more productive, more satisfied and less stressed overall!