Alice Cresswell, a freelance digital marketer, went along to one of Ovio’s workplace mindfulness sessions at Cigna. This was her experience.

It’s 11.45am, just before the lunch rush at the Majestic Centre.

Cheryl Strawbridge from Ovio ponders over the best way to set up the meeting room for 20 people. Desks are folded up and whisked to the side – they’re a barrier to engagement – and chairs rearranged into rows, so people can get together in small discussion groups.

Senior HR business partner, Hannah Charles, enters the room, proclaiming that “it’s busy at the moment. Actually, everyone’s always busy here.”

As the participants arrive, there’s a lot of chatter about last week’s session, before the door slides shut, blocking out the noise from the busy common area, and calm sweeps over the room.

Cheryl reiterates that mindfulness is all about compassion, non-judgment and acceptance. These values are not just for interactions with others, but for how they experience themselves. With her background in biochemistry, she notes that mindfulness is rooted in scientific research, and is not affiliated with any religion or faith. Mindfulness is also about general self-care and being your best self (though it’s not about “positive thinking” – Cheryl says that trying to think positively all the time is utterly exhausting, and actually harmful).

Whether we are sad, or angry, or happy, we should allow our emotions to enter our mind, rather than suppressing or ignoring them, Cheryl explains. We are encouraged to pause when an emotion, like anger, comes to mind. This gives us an opportunity to RAIN; recognise, accept and investigate the emotion, before non-judgmentally allowing it to pass through our body. We then participate in a body scan exercise, and have a chance to talk about what we’ve learned with the people next to us. Everyone has a unique take on the exercise; however, the common theme was an increased level of self-awareness.

This was my first experience of a mindfulness session in a corporate setting, but the benefits of mindfulness in the workplace were clear after just half an hour. Having scheduled time away from the busyness of the day meant we were able to re-centre and re-energise. Cheryl notes that mindfulness does more than initiate the relaxation response, it also makes structural and functional changes to the brain so that we are better equipped to respond wisely to situations. It’s nice to know that my brain is benefitting from this time out!

Cigna has a passionately progressive stance on health and wellness. Cigna understands that “well-being” extends beyond nutrition or exercise to emotional and mental health too. In the workplace, Cigna promotes a non-judgmental environment, a safe space where employees can be authentic, and not be afraid to speak out or ask for help. The global insurance company has a ‘practice what we preach’ attitude, offering courses (like Ovio’s mindfulness) that most staff members can take part in during work hours.

Cigna is widely acknowledged as a leader for its approach to health and wellness. Earlier this year, the company was recognised for its creativity and progressiveness in Human Resources, winning the Christian Dahmen Memorial Innovation Award at the 2017 NZ HR Awards in Auckland. CEO Lance Walker was named Supportive CEO of the Year.

Hannah Charles is a strong believer in eliminating the mindset that being “busy” is like a badge of honour. CEO Lance Walker also advocates for mindfulness in the workplace because it’s something people can take away with them. Mindfulness equips people with tools they can use in situations at or away from work. People can share what they’ve learned with colleagues, with family, or with friends.

The feedback has been incredibly positive. One woman reported that mindfulness was hugely beneficial, and that everyone in the office should give it a go. Hannah has also had staff members come up and say they were a bit unsure about the whole idea of mindfulness, but after hearing others’ experiences, they wanted to join in too. Even managers were participating, one firmly believing that mindfulness is critical to good leadership.

If you’re curious or skeptical about mindfulness, it’s worth trying.

I’m sure most people can relate to that moment when you hit send on an impulsive email, and an hour later, your stomach turns at your poor choice of words… You suddenly wish you’d taken the time out to think about it. I know, for me, that all it would take is a minute’s pause and my response would have been drastically different. Mindfulness gives you the awareness to take that pause.

If you’re interested in employing mindfulness in your business, you can get in touch with Cheryl on 027 664 6449 or find out more at www.ovio.co.nz