How Meditation Increases Productivity
Saturday, May 23rd, 2009When I tell people I write about the connection between productivity and spiritual practices like meditation and yoga, some are skeptical or confused. “I thought meditation was about relaxing, not getting things done,” some say. Others assume the practices I’m talking about have to do with becoming enlightened or seeking ultimate truth, and don’t have practical, down-to-earth benefits.
In fact, there’s plenty of research suggesting that meditation benefits our ability to pay attention and our motivation, which of course are key to doing our work efficiently. It also helps prevent stress and resulting health problems that sidetrack us in our work.
As one goal of my work is to raise consciousness about how spiritual practices can help us find career satisfaction, I’ll talk about some of this research here.
Attention. A Massachusetts General Hospital study reported that meditation thickens parts of the brain’s cerebral cortex responsible for decisionmaking, attention and memory.
Motivation. A study at the University of Wisconsin showed that regular meditation leads to significantly increased levels of activity in the left prefrontal cortex of the brain, which is associated with “positive emotions and goal-seeking behaviors.”
Efficiency. Three years after it implemented a meditation program for its employees, a Detroit chemical plant reported that productivity at the facility had increased by 120%, and absenteeism had decreased by 80%.
Freedom From Distractions. An Emory University study reported that meditation enhances the brain’s capacity to limit the influence of distracting thoughts.
Stress Reduction. A Cedars-Sinai Medical Center study suggested that meditation reduces blood pressure levels, thus reducing worker absenteeism due to stress-related medical problems.
Pain Tolerance. According to a University of Montreal study, meditation reduces sensitivity to pain, and thus helps people focus on the task in front of them even in the face of physical discomfort.
Some people tell me they’d like to take up meditation, but they don’t have time given all their other responsibilities. However, there’s lots of evidence suggesting that, when we regularly meditate, we develop a sense of inner peace and focus that actually helps us get more done in a shorter period and thus save time.
In other words, if you meditate, you may end up less overwhelmed by all the stuff you have to do.
Related posts:
 | If you found this post useful, you'll likely find Chris's book, Inner Productivity, helpful as well. Inner Productivity is packed with techniques to help you find focus and motivation in your work from a mindful perspective. |
Subscribe Via RSS/E-Mail.
You can also trackback from your own site.
May 24th, 2009 at 5:55 am
Hi Chris – I have been meditating (off and on) for several years now. I find that my ability to “limit distractions” has increased. I find this to be a great benefit. No matter where my mind goes, I can always bring myself back to where I need to be. Meditation helps me practice this. I’m not surprised at all the research that you found supporting the benefits of meditation. Thanks for sharing this.
May 24th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Thanks Amanda — I’m glad you’ve found meditation helpful in getting your work done — I know it’s had the same effect for me.
May 25th, 2009 at 6:51 am
Meditating is an incredibly useful “tool” that helps me get things done. Even 15 minutes twice a day makes a notable difference in my productivity. I’m more clear in what I need to get done and pretty much everything seems easier to do. If only people knew the difference it would make in their efficiency levels, they’d be doing it as regularly as they eat.
Thanks for the research links. I’ve looked at a couple and they’re really worth the read.
May 25th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Hi Laurie — I’m glad to hear meditation has helped boost your productivity. I agree, it is surprising that meditation hasn’t really broken into “mainstream” business literature.
May 25th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
I used to think the same way too; that meditation is a complete waste of time. Now I cannot do without it. For whatever method I am using, I have to sit for at least 20 to 30 mins every day. I now call meditation an investment in my clarity.
May 25th, 2009 at 7:58 pm
Hi Evelyn — thanks for your comment — I think that’s a great way to put it. It’s almost like taking a course that requires some time but helps you do your work more efficiently in the long run.
May 27th, 2009 at 6:45 am
I recently started my meditation practice. I think I have some underlying beliefs that meditation won’t work for me, but I’m moving forward and looking forward to reframing this old perspective.
May 27th, 2009 at 8:03 am
Hi Stacey — I’m glad to hear you’re exploring meditation in spite of those beliefs. I imagine they’ll come up even more forcefully while you’re meditating — I know they did for me.
But that proved to be a chance to say to myself “okay, I’m feeling frustrated or bored, and there’s nothing wrong with that and I’m going to stay right here,” and when I did that the frustration and boredom faded away.