Mindfulness: Does it work?

Mindfulness is "in" these days across health care and business settings. But beyond being cool, does it work? Or better, what is it good for? Always on top of popular trends, the Harvard Business Review published an essay recently by renowned author and psychologist, Dr. Daniel Goleman. In it, Dr. Goleman reviews the scientific literature about the positive effects of mindfulness and draws conclusions about the areas where enough data is available to support its benefits.

According to this analysis of the research, there are four areas where meditation and mindfulness practices lead to better performance and outcomes, as follows:

1. Stronger focus, greater concentration, and less distractibility
2. Calm under stress or lower emotional arousal in the face of potentially difficult situations
3. Better working memory to help with short-term processing and data analysis
4. A kinder attitude 

Altogether, the research indeed corroborates that living a more mindful, present-focused life can enhance mental fitness and wellbeing. If you are interested in starting a mindfulness practice, I recommend checking out the Google Play or App Store for popular apps such as Insight Timer, Breathe, and Headspace. A licensed mental health provider can also help you learn how to use mindfulness to better your mood, change your thought processes, and embrace more helpful everyday behaviors.