The Growing Use of Meditation at Work
9.20.2024
When you think of meditation, an image of sitting cross legged on a yoga mat in a spa may come to mind. Increasingly, professionals are finding time to practice meditation without leaving the workplace.
Over the past year, nearly 300 members of the New York State Bar Association have participated in the Mindful Moments Meditation series. The online group meets weekly on Friday afternoons at 1:30 p.m. for a 20-minute meditation, which is followed by a few minutes of conversation. The program is free and run by members of the association’s Committee on Attorney Well-Being.
The sessions are designed with the busy lawyer in mind. Even if you’ve never done meditation before, come and experience a mindful moment.
A recent article in Forbes cited studies that mindful meditation at work produces lasting benefits including stronger bonds among employees and increased productivity. A New York Times article in 2020 followed a group meditating at work and found it increased their collaboration, innovation and quality of work.
Staff at the Lawyer Assistance Program recently surveyed participants to get their feedback. Here is a sample of their comments:
- “I am really grateful for this program, thank you all.”
- “Thank you so much for offering this. I am so grateful to connect with colleagues who value a regular meditation practice and want to share how it relates to our work.”
- “I love it!”
- “I love having a sangha [community] of my colleagues to practice with!”
If you can’t attend the Friday meditations, you can use the meditation videos uploaded to the NYSBA YouTube channel.
