ISHN interviewed former ASSP President Mark Hansen at the Safety 2022 conference in Chicago, and Mark highly recommends reading the book, “Deep Work,” by Cal Newport and published in 2017. “Deep Work” does not directly address workplace safety, but its application is obvious.
In part one of this article, we covered quite a lot – what mindfulness is, why it’s relevant to EHS, and where, as humans, we have the most control over our lives. Moving on from distractions and reactions, here we’re going to look at solutions.
Workplace mindfulness training programs can help workers manage stress and improve memory and focus. Training can be delivered in a number of ways including in-person and online, and according to a 2016 study by the National Business Group on Health and Fidelity Investments, 22 percent of companies have mindfulness training programs.
I’m not sure about you, but when I don’t sleep well, I can be pretty miserable. I’m not much fun to be around and I don’t work well – I can’t sustain my focus. We already know that sleep deprivation among workers is a billion-dollar problem across the globe. But how about the absence of sleep quality for your leaders – what impact does it have on subordinates?
Most time-strapped executives know they should plan ahead and prioritize, focus on the important as much as the urgent, invest in their health (including getting enough sleep), make time for family and relationships, and limit (even if they don’t entirely avoid) mindless escapism.
