Mindfulness Principals Tools and Applications Conference on Mindfulness

Mindfulness: Principals, Tools and Applications Conference on Mindfulness and the Mind Science of Bias NYS Office of Children & Family Services March 20, 2017 Presented by En. Visions Consulting © En. Visions Consulting, 2017

Applications Tools Principals © En. Visions Consulting, 2017 2

How to View Mindfulness Paying attention with purpose to the present moment and without judgment © En. Visions Consulting, 2017 3

How to View Mindfulness …rather than being overwhelmed! © En. Visions Consulting, 2017 4

How to View Mindfulness RESPOND (Mindful) vs. REACT (Mindless) © En. Visions Consulting, 2017 5

How to View Mindfulness © En. Visions Consulting, 2017 6

How to View Mindfulness © En. Visions Consulting, 2017 7

How to View Mindfulness PRESENT = Reset © En. Visions Consulting, 2017 PAST FUTURE 8

Mindfulness Research Benefits of Mindfulness heightened calm less depression reduced stress unlocked creativity and anxiety lower blood less depression and anxiety pressure decrease difficult emotions improved memory skillful responses to Increased difficult empathy and situations understanding © En. Visions Consulting, 2017 9

Fad or Mainstream? • • Education Judicial System Child Welfare Clinical Corporations Professional Sports Non-profits © En. Visions Consulting, 2017 10

© En. Visions Consulting, 2017

Mindfulness and Brain Science PRE-FRONTAL CORTEX AMYGDALA HYPOTHALAMUS HIPPOCAMPUS © En. Visions Consulting, 2017 12

The Amygdala Hijack PRE-FRONTAL CORTEX (RATIONAL BRAIN) AMYGDALA (EMOTIONAL BRAIN) • Determines if threat / nonthreat exists § Relates present and past experience • Initiates fight or flight response • Directs and allocates our attention • Readies other parts of brain • Enables our empathy and compassion • Regulates hormones & neurotransmitters • Reins in our Amygdala © En. Visions Consulting, 2017 13

Neuroplasticity © En. Visions Consulting, 2017

Is Multitasking Helping Us? The brain is not designed for multitasking. We’re actually SERIAL TASKING…shifting from Every 8 -10 minutes the average person is interrupted for about one task to another in rapid succession 5 minutes or 50% of the workday. Equivalent to The average person’s IQ lowers 10%-15% when distracted Source: Social Caffeine © En. Visions Consulting, 2017 LOSING ONE NIGHT’S SLEEP 15

Multitasking and The Distraction Economy Take 50% longer to accomplish a task Make up to 50% More Errors Experience a 40% Drop in productivity © En. Visions Consulting, 2017 16

How Often We Check Our Phone § 70% within an hour of getting up § 56% within an hour of going to sleep § 48% over the weekend (including Friday and Saturday night) § 51% constantly on vacation § 44% said the would experience “great deal of anxiety” without their phone for a week Source: Leslie Perlow (Sleeping With Your Smartphone) © En. Visions Consulting, 2017 17

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Implicit Bias Involuntary associations we make either favorable or unfavorable - that are automatically triggered and potentially influence our perception, judgment or action toward others. © En. Visions Consulting, 2017 19

The Brain and Implicit Bias Prefrontal Cortex Amygdala Hypothalamus Hippocampus © En. Visions Consulting, 2017 20

The Brain and Implicit Bias System 1 Thinking (Fast) • Continuous scanning • Shortcuts, impulses and intuition • Fast but error prone System 2 Thinking (Slow) • Used as needed • Analytical and reason based • Slow but reliable © En. Visions Consulting, 2017

Our Assuming Brain © En. Visions Consulting, 2017 22

Our Assuming Brain © En. Visions Consulting, 2017 23

Applications Tools Principals © En. Visions Consulting, 2017 24

STOP Technique Stop what you are doing Take five conscious breaths Observe your experience (thoughts, feelings and emotions) Proceed with something that will support you; repeat as needed © En. Visions Consulting, 2017 25

Notice, Shift, Rewire Notice Shift Rewire become aware of where your attention is directed redirect your attention to the present moment take 15 -30 seconds to experience and reinforce the shift © En. Visions Consulting, 2017 26

Body Scan Take 3 -4 deep breaths (relax the body with each exhale) Notice Sensations in the body • • • Take ` Feet touching the floor Legs against the chair Back against the chair Stomach area (if tense, take more breaths) Hands (if tight, loosen or soften them) Neck, throat and jaw (try to relax them) 1 -2 more breaths © En. Visions Consulting, 2017 27

20 Minute Challenge • Set timer and devote 20 minutes of uninterrupted time for working on a single task – – Turn phone on mute Turn off email notification Do not look at texts Do not allow visitors to interrupt • At end of 20 minutes – repeat process or take a 5 minute break • Expand to 40 minutes © En. Visions Consulting, 2017 28

Phone Care Charge phone in separate room Allow notifications from people, not machines Create a tools-only home screen Set a. m. time to check phone Get an ad blocker © En. Visions Consulting, 2017 29

Focused Listening What type of listener are you? § Transient (Distracted) § Transactional (Problem Solving) § Transformational (Connection) Source: Overworked and Overwhelmed, Scott Eblin, (www. eblingroup. com) © En. Visions Consulting, 2017 30

Daily Apps Physical Mental Relational Spiritual Adapted from Overworked and Overwhelmed, Scott Eblin 31

9 Actions for Life 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Anchor your day with a reflective morning practice Throughout the day, pause to be fully present in the moment before undertaking the next critical task Restore balance (exercise, nutrition, taking breaks) Schedule “White Space” in your calendar Review the day’s events at the close of the day to prevent work stresses from spilling into your life Take a technology break Being fully present upon arriving home Experiencing your environment while walking Use traffic as a mindful moment – breathing Adapted from Thomas Plante © En. Visions Consulting, 2017 32

Applications Tools Principals © En. Visions Consulting, 2017 33

Take a Few Moments • Reflect on what impressed you most on the topic of mindfulness • Identify a few practices you already / might wish to engage in. • Discuss with your peers © En. Visions Consulting, 2017 34