homepage | Mindfulness Matters: Five Questions with Haley Prophet

January 3, 2023

Mindfulness Matters: Five Questions with Haley Prophet

by Pete Dulin

Haley Prophet

Do you practice mindfulness? Do you arrive at a destination and wonder, did I stop at that stop sign back there? Or question whether you sent an email or made a phone call only to find the message in your sent folder? We are all busy individuals with competing priorities in life.

Do you ever pause to consider another way to tackle your day? To stay more connected in a conversation? Do you strive to manage your energy in a different way? Adding mindfulness to your daily practice can empower you personally and professionally, says Haley Prophet.

Prophet teaches Mastering Mindfulness Everyday. She has nearly 20 years of experience in corporate well-being. She currently serves on the Healthy KC Workplace Wellness Action Team. Prophet answers five questions below about mindfulness that she’ll explore further in her course.

Register – Mastering Mindfulness Everyday

In her 90-minute workshop, participants explore mindfulness and its effect on your personal and professional life. Gain tools to improve wellbeing in and out of the office. Participants will learn

Nine brain facts supporting the neuroscience behind mindfulness practices

An overview of nine micro-practice techniques to easily incorporate mindfulness through a variety of methods in their day

Practical tools to support stress reduction, increased productivity, and improvement of overall life experiences

Broadly speaking, what is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the practice of being present; intentionally aware of where we are and what we are doing, thinking, or saying. Being mindful allows individuals to tap into their body (physical wellbeing), mind (emotional wellbeing), and spirit (spiritual wellbeing) as a daily practice.

Interest in mental health and wellness tied to professional workplaces has grown in recent years. How does mindfulness play a role?

Many workplaces are addressing mental health and wellbeing at a business level. Consider mindfulness as one tool in the toolbox to assist and support positive mental health practices that impact both the individual and business. Addressing the whole person certainly includes the mental health of our employees.

Research shows mindful practices can assist individuals in reducing stress and anxiety, cultivating stronger relationships, acknowledging emotional regulation, and much more. Mindfulness can help in key areas that many business leaders seek to not only address internally, but also support and advocate within their work culture.

Is there scientific research that supports the value of cultivating and applying mindfulness practices?

Absolutely! Research and study of brain health by way of mindful practices significantly indicates the opportunity to form new habits. When our brains form new neuropathways, individuals are better able to recall these practices and the positive feelings associated with being mindful. In the course, we will review specific facts about the brain. Participants will gain understanding of how mindfulness routines positively impact our brain health.

What’s the potential downside of not being mindful in our personal and professional life?

The biggest impact to not practicing mindfulness is how we show up for ourselves through awareness, self-care, positive self-talk, etc. Mindfulness also impacts how we show up with and around others in meaningful relationships and intentional conversations, for example.

When individuals are not practicing mindfulness, it may impact the way they interact with family members, loved ones, and friends. The behavior can affect professional interactions with peers and colleagues. Perhaps you forget key information or requests. Or you neglect to hear all of the details in conversations and retain this information.

Not being mindful of their own surroundings makes it easy for well-being to become a back-burner to-do item. It is easier to procrastinate items and tasks.

Daily mindful practice in our lives helps with

  • How we show up in our personal and professional lives in an authentic way
  • How we feel connected to our greater purpose,
  • How closely we pay attention to our energy management

What’s the benefit for businesses and other workplaces to encourage mindfulness for their employees?

The benefits for mindful awareness, practices and teachings within a workplace are significant. It impacts both team and individual performance. Workplaces that embrace the importance of mindfulness can expect to have more effective teams performing at their highest abilities. Mindful teams and individuals have emotional agility and present awareness in business conversations. They tend to have less reactionary experiences and a more human-centered approach to discussions that leads to positive outcomes.