Be it a leader of a small team, or the CEO of a company: you need to be focused on leading people. But with so much going on in your head, how do you keep calm? What if I told you that mindful meditation holds the key? Mediation goes beyond sitting still and chanting. Meditation is more about learning how to focus the mind — something that every business leader needs in today's rat-race environment. According to the Harvard Business Review carried out by Stanford University's Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education, meditation and mindfulness can lead to an increase in emotional intelligence and enhance focus and memory. This is why global corporate brands like Ford and Google have initiated mindful meditation programs for senior executives to strengthen their leadership skills.

So what is Mindful Meditation?

Mindfulness meditation isn't concentric to physical meditation where you need to sit in a pose and breathe in and breathe out. It borders more on learning how to be present in your surroundings. You can incorporate mindfulness into your daily routine while carrying out the minutest chores. Mindfulness can be practised while washing your hands, while having a meal or while driving to work. For example, if you are mindful while having a meal, you feel the tinkling of cutlery against the plate, the aroma of the food around you, and the taste of the food on your palette. You live every minute detail of the task.

Here are five ways how the practice of mindful meditation can make you a better leader.

1. Decreases your anxiety

Several surveys have shed light on the role of meditation in combating depression and anxiety. It is no secret that anxiety often gets in your way of performance under stress. Since as a leader, your need arises, especially during tight situations, getting a better grip on anxiety will help boost your ability to perform under stress.

2. Regulates your emotions

Meditation and mindfulness are known to have a direct connection with your emotions and is known to boost emotional intelligence. Scientists have found out through brain-imaging research meditation strengthens our ability to regulate our emotions. With the reins to your feelings in your hands, you will be able to lead people working under you better.

3. Enhances your creativity

As a leader, you should be the one with a solution. You should not bank on your team members to take up the mantle and come up with breakthroughs. It should be you who comes up with insights that others follow. When you practice meditation, you get the boon of a relaxed mind, which paves the way for more 'eureka' moments. Mindfulness can help you get into a divergent mindset, thus aiding you in coming up with as many solutions as possible.

4. Improves your relationships

One of the most prominent qualities of a leader is maintaining healthy relationships with all the team members working under him or her. Quite often, leaders tend to misuse their power, which in turn brings down the efficiency of a team. Meditating can boost your mood and improve your sense of connection to others. Practising mindfulness can even make you a kinder and more compassionate person. The clearer your things are, the more settled you will seem. It's just like how Harvrad reference generator gives clearity to any academic paper. 

5. Strengthens your focus

How often do you look out of the windows and digress from a task at hand? At times, these digressions come with a heavy cost, and as a leader, you cannot afford that. This is where meditation comes in to curb your tendency of deviating, thus strengthening your ability to stay more focused.

The frantic work culture that we all are a part of can harm your health, relationships and productivity. The workload that rests on your fragile shoulders can take a toll on your physical and mental health. There are deadlines to comply with, obnoxious people to deal with, and too many emails to sort. Therefore, exercising your mind is as essential as exercising your body. The best way to protect yourself from this unhealthy pace of life is to learn how to be mindful of your surroundings.

But how do you intersperse your hectic work-life with practices of mindful meditation? Here are some ways in which you can be more cognizant while at work and through your day to become a better leader.

Author Bio:  Bella Jonas is a professional tech blogger who is currently working at one of the leading IT firms in New York, USA. She has been in the field for nearly eight years. She holds a great deal of knowledge of various technological innovations. She is also a notable member of Allessaywriter.com as an academic essay writer.