From Google to Goldman Sachs, the business world has embraced mindfulness in a big way. And it's no surprise.

1. Mindfulness Techniques For The Busy Entrepreneur Definition
2. Mindfulness Techniques For The Busy Entrepreneurship
3. Mindfulness Techniques For The Busy Entrepreneur Activities
4. Mindfulness Techniques For The Busy Entrepreneur Development
5. Mindfulness Techniques For The Busy Entrepreneur At Work

Top executives know that a decrease in stress over today's worries, and a decrease in anxiety over tomorrow's potential woes, paves the way for mental clarity, creative thinking, higher-level awareness for better decision making, restful sleep and in general a more productive, happier employee that performs to somewhere near his or her full potential.

Both of which are a Mindfulness Techniques to train you to focus your mind on the present moment using all of your senses. Mindfulness for Startup Founders – Blue Chili 5. Need for Mindfulness in Startup Entrepreneurs. Let’s apply meditation and mindfulness to the Lean Startup (TLS) model. 18 self-care tips for entrepreneurs. As you begin to build these forms of self-care into your weekly routine, you can gradually include more that seem most beneficial to you. Exercise during the day. Practice mindfulness. Reduce your stress. Learn to relax (“Me time”). Know when to say “no.”. As a busy entrepreneur, finding another chunk of time each day isn’t easy. But if you’re willing to gradually build up to just 10 minutes on a regular basis, you can experience the benefits of meditation. When you learn the simple meditations in this course, you and your business will benefit in the following ways. End the stigma, Start a conversation. Mental health is an important factor in maintaining personal and professional wellbeing. Despite the rise in advocacy for mental health resources, the conversation of mental health is often seen as taboo within the financial sector.

But what about entrepreneurs: The startups, the small businesses, one-man bands, the big angel investors, even — those out in the wilderness on their own, taking risks and trying to change the world in their own little (or big) way. How can mindfulness help these guys?

I guess I should know, because I guess I am one.

Here's 10 things I've learnt…

1. Don't be a sleep hero

The mythical stories of those successful people who sleep just 4 hours a night have encouraged a generation of sleepless budding entrepreneurs.

The reality is that very few people have the gene that allows for such little sleep, and sleep in the medium and long term is as important as eating in the short term.

Don’t be a hero: Don’t push yourself to the limits every day with coffee, working into the small hours and putting your body under stress. You will end up sick, not to mention putting your health at risk.

Lack of sleep affects your cognitive ability. You will be unable to think clearly and decisively and therefore unable to make important decisions with the clarity they require.

Go to bed early. Wake up early. Don’t fight tiredness; embrace it. If you need a nap, take one. But if you feel like you need a nap every day, you probably aren’t getting the sleep you need in the night time.

2. Escape your inbox

Email is a fantastic method of efficient communication, but can become a hindrance to productivity. The more people that went your eyes on their emails the more of your day you’ll spend tapping away in your inbox.

Filter your emails into folders, prioritising only those that need answering immediately or by the end of the day.

Don’t feel you have to answer every email either. Of course, it’s wonderful to help others and give your time to assisting the progress of others, but if it’s at the continual cost of your own productivity, focus and essential daily tasks, and your sanity, then you need to prioritise.

3. Set-aside “thinking time”

Don’t be a slave to your calendar and to-do list. Set aside time at least twice a week for thinking and flexing your creative muscle.

I’m willing to bet that if you look back at your achievements and the things that have made the crucial differences in reaching your goals, you’ll see that the majority of these things grew out of light bulb moments – when your brain had space to explore the valleys of its creativity. Turning it off.

4. Take a moment to cultivate belief

You have to believe in what you’re doing and know why you’re doing it. If you don’t, you’re either doing the wrong things or in the wrong line of work.

The fact is: you’re a long time dead; so make this life count. Don’t chase dollars just for the sake of it. Make sure you believe that what you are doing is providing a valuable contribution to the daily lives of others and the planet.

Stop in your tracks at least once a week to sit down and remind yourself of why you’re doing what you do.

For some it helps to write a mission statement. Keep this in your wallet or purse for moments of mental conflict and whip it out and read it out loud to re-center.

Work never feels like work when you’re passionate about what you’re doing and believe in your cause.

In life’s most challenging moments, it is this belief that will pull you through and recharge your batteries for the next battle.

5. Center your focus each morning

Focus isn’t just about sitting at a computer screen for hours, forcing yourself to tap away and hold your bladder until the top of the hour. Focus is a broader commitment to yourself to see a task through and take the necessary steps to get there.

This focus exists at all times, even when not at your computer and not in a meeting. It’s in your attitude, your way of thinking, your approach to life in general. It’s a mind-set, a constant, a part of your energy ecosystem.

Set aside time to cultivate focus through meditation. A morning session before you even start work is ideal.

6. Never engage in emotional decision making

Don’t make decisions on days you feel angry, overly stressed, anxious or generally emotional imbalanced.

Make life-changing decisions, not when you’re on a super high or when down in the dumps, but when you’re treading the middle road of emotional balance.

Better to put off important decisions until tomorrow that to rush into them with a hot head today.

7. Embrace your identify, not that of others

Don’t doubt yourself over the way you look. There is no stereotypical look for an entrepreneur or “successful person”. Too many people spend far too much time looking at the way those they admire look, wishing they could emulate their charisma and style.

Instead, spend this time embracing your unique qualities: strengths, flaws and quirks. Let them flourish and grow with you and your ideas. Don’t model yourself on others. You are a unique circumstance of Mother Nature. Be you, and enjoy it.

8. Get out there & make real-world connections

Many entrepreneur books paint a picture of a maverick, a lone-ranger, an outsider, the James Dean of business, perhaps.

But life is about people. The most exciting, fun, interesting and memorable times we have in life are spent with others, not on Twitter or Facebook. So it makes no sense to lock yourself away in an office every day and cut off the outside world of possibility.

Endeavour to get out into the real world at least twice a week. It doesn’t have to be business-related, like a seminar, networking event or a meeting. How about coffee with a friend, visiting your aunty, playing sport, speed dating, whatever – just get out there and make real-world connections.

We are tribal, sociable beings. Submit to this primal need to connect with people. Your business life will thrive two-fold because of it.

9. Don’t be afraid/shy to ask for help

We all need a helping hand from time to time. Whether stress has beaten us down and we need to vent over green tea on some issues, or we need strategic direction from someone who has been there, done it and worn the t-shirt, don’t be afraid to ask for someone’s ear.

Those close to you will no doubt be happy you asked, and you’ll be surprised at just how generous outsiders can be with their advice too. Sure, some people are always “too busy”, or just too far up their own bottoms to help a fellow human, but the large majority of people will feel privileged that you asked and, as I mentioned in point 8, will enjoy making a human connection.

10. Keep a tidy office (mind)

Whether you have a proper office, just a laptop that you use in cafes, parks and wherever else you choose to lay your hat, or one of these awesome standing desks, a tidy entrepreneur’s office means a tidy entrepreneur’s mind.

Get rid of the clutter. Limit your workspace to related items only: books, files, tech, etc.; no dead socks, last week’s cups and plates or relics that should be in the attic.

This means inside your laptop and phone too. Clear up that desktop and downloads folder once a week, and delete apps you no longer need.

A minimal, well-organised workplace is conducive to a mind-set of the same; a place for strategic, critical, creative thinking.

And breathe…

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When we go through busy phases of life (or if life feels chronically consuming for us), our intentions to practice mindfulness and meditation frequently get put on hold. When our time feels limited as it stands, taking a moment’s pause seems like the last thing we can afford. However, when life feels all-consuming, mindful step-backs tend to be precisely what we need and truly long for.

Mindfulness and meditation frequently get lumped together; however, the two are not quite the same. For busy people in particular, understanding the difference can break the illusion that we don’t have the time we need to practice mindfulness.

Though meditation typically entails longer steps away from the world around us, mindfulness is something available regardless of the length of time we can set aside for stillness. As mindfulness is simply the art of paying non-judgmental, compassionate attention in any moment, the time required for practice is as flexible as water.

As we explore simple mindfulness techniques in the midst of our busy days, we don’t only find a moment’s respite from our to-do list. In addition, we gain focus, energy, and clarity that supports us in effectively managing the demands of life.

The techniques listed here are simple practices that can be interwoven into your day from morning to night. For each of us, our daily schedules look different and so what will appeal to us varies. You might explore any number of these techniques in a given day, seeing where mindfulness helps you to rest, to reset, and to flourish.

1. Waking Awareness

We can begin our daily mindfulness practice during those first few moments of transition from sleep to wakefulness. Upon waking, see if you can mindfully tune into the world around you rather than reaching for your phone or any other early morning distraction. Notice the sounds of the wind, rain, or birds beyond your window, the gentle rhythm of the breath, and the safety and support of the material world beneath and around you. By tuning in mindfully to our first moments of the day, we set the stage for deeper presence and awareness as we move forward.

• Mindful Bites

Our daily interactions with food are wonderful opportunities for mindfulness practice that doesn’t require us to carve out ‘special’ time. Mindful eating is simply the art of being entirely present with our food, our mind, and our bodies – before and as we consume each meal. Consider beginning a mindful eating practice at breakfast by noting:

• Hunger cues within the body,
• How your food engages all five senses,
• The speed of your consumption,
• The felt sensation of food as it moves through the body,
• Any distractions that might be present for you, and
• Your mental and emotional state as you eat.

Mindfulness Techniques For The Busy Entrepreneur Definition

As we become more aware of the way in which we eat, self-awareness begins to deepen. Ensure that you are practicing this compassionately and non-judgmentally as food is a complex topic for many of us. Overtime, this practice helps us to become more intimately attuned to our bodies, fueling our willingness to nourish our bodies in ways that support us.

• Walking Awareness

Another daily activity that even the busiest of people can bring mindfulness to is walking. As you walk from home to the bus or from your lunch break back to the office, pay attention to both the sensation of your feet hitting the earth and to the world around you. As we walk in this way, we become more attuned to the natural world, noticing the subtleties that we often overlook. From spring buds on bare branches to kind acts of strangers, little moments are witnessed and appreciated through mindful awareness.

• Two-Minute Breathing Break

While a two-minute breathing break does require us to set a bit of time aside, we can all find two minutes in our day (at least once) to take a moment’s pause. To practice, set a timer for two minutes, close your eyes, and begin to tune into the natural rhythm of your breath. Simply notice each inhalation and each exhalation, seeing where it might be deepened for greater relaxation. When the timer rings, take your time to come back, extending the practice for as long as you like. Notice how the body and mind may have shifted.

• Mindful Listening

Another practice that requires nothing extra of us, mindful listening helps us to become more present during our exchanges with others. While someone is speaking, whether friend, colleague, partner, or child, self-inquire:

Can I be more present here?

Can I listen without pre-formulating my response?

This is also a wonderful practice for difficult discussions. As we increase our willingness to truly hear another out, the response tends to be the same. We enhance our ability to find common ground where before we may have been too caught up in our own perspective.

• Mindful Stretching

Another practice for midday breaks, mindful stretching encourages us to first become aware of the physical tension we hold in the body and to then move through it. Unconsciously, we often held tension in our shoulders, our hips, the belly, and various other parts unique to our personal makeup.

To explore mindful stretching, begin either seated or lying down. Take a moment to scan the body, letting your intuition guide you to where movement, release, or a deep stretch is needed. Spend as long as you’d like to with this practice, moving the body in ways that feel safe, comfortable, and restorative.

• Five-Minute Tune In

When life is busy, both mind and emotions often become heavy, anxious, or cluttered (among all other intricate thoughts and feelings we might experience). A five-minute tune in is a great practice to explore when we feel an uncomfortable thought or feeling rising to our awareness. When this occurs, we can set a timer for five minutes (or longer), close our eyes, and move through the following:

• Begin by settling through the breath, noting the subtle sensations of each inhalation and each exhalation.
• Once grounded, see if you can become aware of your thoughts and feelings as an observer. Rather than becoming consumed by their stories, can you note them as separate energy bodies that do not define you?
• With each exhalation, see if you can soften the mind a little bit further. Ensure to practice non-judgment and compassion towards whatever arises.
• When the timer goes off, offer yourself a silent thanks for taking this self-care timeout. When you are ready, open your eyes.

• Evening Meal Gratitude Practice

Mindfulness Techniques For The Busy Entrepreneurship

Any meal is a great moment for gratitude practice; however, dinner time offers us the chance to reflect upon all we’ve been blessed with throughout the day. Whether eating on your own, with family, or with friends, see if you can invite a moment of silence to contemplate all you have to be thankful for. This helps to shift the mind from perceiving lack to acknowledging abundance, fueling our sense of peace and contentment.

• Mindful Journaling

Mindfulness Techniques For The Busy Entrepreneur Activities

If you enjoy writing or are open to exploring it, mindful journaling is a practice that can be explored for anywhere from a few minutes to many. It offers a chance to step out of the hamster wheel of thoughts we often find ourselves caught up in, expressing what might be weighing heavily on us through the written word. You can free flow during mindful journaling or you can use prompts such as:

Mindfulness Techniques For The Busy Entrepreneur Development

• If I had one extra hour today, how would I nurture myself with it?
• What does ‘balance’ look like? How can I embody more of it (if needed)?
• In this moment, I feel grateful for…

Mindfulness Techniques For The Busy Entrepreneur At Work

1. Bedtime Body Scan

Last but certainly not least, mindfulness can be interwoven with our last moments of wakefulness through a simple bedtime body scan. Beginning at the head, slowly draw your attention through the entire body, witnessing and gently softening any areas of contraction or tension where it is comfortable to do so. You might also invite your breath into each area you pass, deepening the energetic reach of this life force. Continue to the toes and then hold your entire body in soft, loving awareness. And, if you experience stress or ruminating thoughts before bed, you might deepen your bedtime practice by exploring guided meditations for sleep that enhance relaxation and release.

Above all, the most effective mindfulness techniques are the ones that work for you. We all have varying needs, preferences, and schedules and so our daily practices should reflect that. Whatever you choose to explore, remember that mindfulness is a moment to moment practice. Without setting much (if any) extra time aside, we can enhance our sense of self-awareness, peace, release, and contentment, recharging ourselves for the life that rests ahead.