Researchers have found that the accelerated pace of modern office life
is taking its toll on productivity, employee engagement, creativity and
wellbeing. Faced with a relentless flood of information and
distractions, our brains try to process everything at once, increasing
our stress, decreasing our effectiveness and negatively impacting our
performance. Ironically, we have become too overworked, unfocused and
busy to stop and ask ourselves the most important question: what can we
do to break the cycle of being constantly under pressure, always-on,
overloaded with information and in environments filled with
distractions? Do we need to accept this as the new workplace reality and
continue to survive rather than thrive in modern day work environments?
Thankfully, the answer is no.
Rasmus Hougaard, Jacqueline Carter and Gillian Coutts demonstrate that
it is possible to train the brain to respond differently to today's
constant pressures and distraction. All it takes is one second. They
propose that we need to learn to work differently so we are more
focused, calm and have less clutter in our mind so we can better manage
our time and attention. What if we could hit the 'pause' button on our
day, step back and meet challenges with a sense of clarity and purpose?
And what if there was a way not just of 'getting things done', but
ensuring that what does get done are the right things to do?
Based on a program in corporate mindfulness designed by Hougaard and the
partners of The Potential Project, One Second Ahead provides practical
tools and techniques as well as real-world examples and lessons from
organisations that have implemented mindfulness on a large scale.
Thoroughly tested in a diverse range of industries, this program has
resulted in measurable increases in productivity, effectiveness and job
satisfaction. With the new mindset proposed in One Second Ahead,
listeners will be able to put an end to ineffective multitasking,
unproductive meetings, poor communication and other unhealthy workplace
behaviours by applying mindfulness to every day work life.
All too often, we think that being mindful requires engaging in a
special activity like meditation or yoga. Sure, these activities are
beneficial and important to train the mind, but there are many simple
things we can do to be mindful all day long. One Second Ahead is a
handbook for more mindful work that offers:
- Practical, easy to apply, tools and techniques to enhance performance
and effectiveness in day-to-day work activities such as meetings,
emails, communication, planning, creativity and more.
- Real-world stories of how mindfulness changed the workdays of leaders
and front line employees.
- Tips for cultivating mental strategies and routines that can reduce
clutter, increase focus and rewire your brain to enhance presence,
patience, kindness and other valuable mind states.
- Simple yet detailed step-by-step instructions for a more systematic
approach to mindfulness training to enhance focus and awareness.
- Guidelines for a 10-minute-per-day mindfulness program that can
reshape your life both at work and at home.
One Second Ahead can transform daily work life by helping individuals
and teams realise more of their potential through greater focus and
awareness. The tools and techniques in this book can transform
individual and organisational performance one mind at a time.
