It goes without saying that for a multitude of reasons, the workplace can throw up stressful situations. Stress leads to a downturn in productivity and performance, poor motivation, dissatisfaction, absenteeism, it may even affect the working practices of others in the workplace, infecting the with stress too. This is why, when thinking about undertaking an office refurbishment in Oxford, businesses should think about planning it with mindfulness in mind too.
Whatis mindfulness? How can it improve the effects of an Oxford officerefurbishment?
The basic premise of mindfulness is that its approach can help to realign thoughts in a person, eventually leading them to experience a better home and working life. It makes a person aware of the power of their thinking; how their surroundings can affect them and how they can take steps to prevent being led down a negative track by rerouting their thoughts into a positive terminus instead.
Although the roots of mindfulness lie in Eastern phillosophy, the practice first permeated its way into Western culture during the 1970's. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a program that was originally designed to incorporate mindfulness in order to assist people that were experiencing pain through health conditions or life issues that at the time, were difficult to treat in a clinical environment. Developed by Professor Jon Kabat-Zinn, MBSR uses a combination of Eastern-influenced techniques such as meditation, body awareness and yoga to help people to experience the influence that their thoughts have on their mind and body.
The influence that the practice may have on the mind makes it the perfect foil to treat workplace stress with. With most people being present in the same building, often at the same desk, stuck in the same environment for upwards of 8 hours a day for the majority of the week, is it any surprise that people experience stress? (And this is before they are faced with an extensive workload!) This is one of the reasons why modern, forward thinking local businesses incorporate the need for mindfulness in plans for their office refurbishment in Oxford.
Aside from being able to help a person to be more aware of their thoughts, body and the surroundings that they occupy,it may also help to give a boost to the immune system and prevent emotional exhaustion. In the workplace, being mindful may increase a person's attention span, their cognitive flexibility, as well as a sense of competence and autonomy. By having this sense of influence over their work, a person will likely experience higher job satisfaction, whilst an increased cognitive function will play into their abilities to problem solve and to be innovative; all aspects that will lend itself to an upturn in productivity and quality of work. So how can the workplace lend itself to influence the mindfulness of those who work within it?
Mindfulnessin the workplace
The great thing about mindfulness is that it doesn't need any expert knowledge or complicated understanding to be achieved; a simple, short break away from the desk and the work arena to realign one's thoughts is sometimes all that is required. However, whether it's through the busy nature of work, or through constant noise and distraction,sometimes it can be difficult to take even five minutes out to relax and to think positively. If a person cannot even take five minutes out to refresh their thoughts, then this is a problem that needs addressing.
In terms of a new office refurbishment in Oxford, many businesses will incorporate facilities away from the working areas for their employees to take breaks, in order to reflect and refresh. Whether this through comfortable breakout rooms and/or kitchen areas that allow them to prepare a healthy meal or simply to make a cup of tea/coffee; the point is that it gets them into a new environment, one that doesn't say WORK or STRESS and instead, gives them an opportunity to focus on something else. Like thinking positively.
It can be easy, especially with the said busy nature of work, to forgo a much-needed break because 'there's too much to do'. By creating a room, or even just dedicating a space, in their office design that is dedicated for quiet reflection, a business will be helping to give a person the 'excuse' to take that break for when it's needed the most. This is instead of them continuing to sit at their workstation, continuing to feel stress and feeling like they've got to get something done. If someone is feeling stress, it's likely that they'll get nothing done; a break area will allow them to collect their thoughts, realigning them to feel positive, ready to go back and attack the work in hand.
If you would like to learn more about mindfulness, its effects and how to manage them, check out these handy links:
If you're looking to re-imagine the design of your workplace, then you've found the right place here at Oaktree Interiors. We are an office fit out company that has a vast experience in creating innovative spaces for a wide range of business operations and industries in the South East of England. From large, multi-national corporations, to small local businesses with future expansion in mind; no matter your requirements, we endeavour to support and help you to realise your perfect workplace. Please feel free to browse our case study gallery for an insight into just some of the work we've undertaken.
If you would like further information on how we're able to carry out the ideal office refurbishment in Oxford for you, then please do not hesitate to get in contact with us today. Give us a call on 0345 21 86955 or if you want to contact us by e-mail, you can do so at hello@oaktreeoffice.com