Meditation is a long standing practice amongst some of the smartest and wisest people in the world, and the business world is starting to tune in. Successful and well-known CEOs, such as Twitter’s Jack Dorset, and Google’s Sergey Brin, all practice meditation–they give their employees a chance to practice too. They understand that a daily practice of meditation is important for busy entrepreneurs and business owners alike.
And it absolutely is.
Here are three reasons why entrepreneurs should meditate.
Calm The Mind and Focus on What’s Important
Entrepreneurs are busy people physically and mentally. Their minds are constantly running with new ideas and fresh perspectives. However, sometimes this doesn’t work in their favour, causing them to be pulled in too many different directions. Through the practice of meditation people gain more mental clarity, allowing them to look at all their thoughts individually and focus on the important ones. By practicing meditation the mind tends to wander less and improve their mental cognition.
Expand the Mind
Meditation allows you to, over time, tap into different areas of your mind you may have been silencing through the hustle and bustle of modern life. Just by sitting and breathing you can change the mind and nurture the brain. Not only does it help you regulate anxiety and stress, but it nurtures the parts of the mind associated with well-being and learning. A Harvard neuroscientist explains how it expands and nourishes the left hippocampus–the part of the brain responsible for cognitive ability and memory. By studying meditators, she noticed that the gray-matter density increases.
Learn Patience
Patience is a virtue and when it comes to creating a business this is an important tool for success. Meditation can help anyone practice patience by allowing you to grow deeper into yourself. When people first begin meditation they can experience a sense of impatience but slowly learn to experience less patience through the practice. Instead of developing patience, you will learn to let go of impatience by seeing things more clearly. Learning to let go of impatience can be an important tool for entrepreneurs, allowing them to see their feelings more clearly and see an idea from a different perspective.
Not sure how to integrate meditation in your life?
If you don’t know where to start there are amazing apps that make meditation easy and accessible. Here are a few meditation apps that are inexpensive and worth the investment.
- Calm –The #1 app for meditation, sleep, mindfulness and relaxation through guided stories, breathing programs, and music. It is perfect for beginners.
- Headspace–A guide for meditation and mindfulness to help manage stress and anxiety and help you focus.
- Oak–Supported mindfulness and meditation app with mindful sleep meditations, guided sessions and breathing exercises. It can be individualized by duration and music all while tracking your progress.
