There is a big correlation between the amount of stress we feel and our brain power.
More stress = less brain power.
It’s a simple formula, however managing our stress isn't often a priority for startup business founders, who are too busy planning, running and scaling their businesses.
Starting and running a business could accumulate to an amount of stress our bodies aren't capable of handling all at once. Adrenaline and cortisol flood the body on a daily basis to keep you going. However, over time, these hormones eventually wear out our nervous system, making us exhausted and foggy brained.
How Meditation Can Impact Your Business
If you could increase your brain power, what would you want to accomplish in your business?
If you could decrease the anxiety that comes from the pressure of starting and running your business, would you dedicate 10-15 minutes/day to make it happen?
And if you could, wouldn't you want to increase the brain power of your team so they could produce more and affect your bottom line without getting burnt out?
There is a simple, but definitely not easy, tool to accomplish the relaxed and focused state: meditation.
"Meditation proved to influence the brain's neurotransmitters, enhancing one's cognitive abilities, which resulted in increased focus, and productivity"
- Sage Journal
Forbes said, "By incorporating meditation into their lives, startups are contributing to a higher standard of consciousness that leads to higher levels of awareness, compassion, and productivity, plus lower levels of stress, anxiety, and chaos."
The HABIT of a meditation practice is what's going to rewire your brain to a state of calm focus.
And speaking of the brain, research has found that people spend 46.9% of their day in what’s called a DEFAULT MODE NETWORK which is an area in our brain that lights up when we are thinking about the PAST or the FUTURE instead of focusing on the HERE and NOW, also known as MIND-WANDERING.
Mind Wandering and Its Effect on Happiness
Interestingly enough, this mind-wandering seems to have a negative impact on HAPPINESS.
“A wandering mind is an unhappy mind"
- Dan Gilbert
If only there was a proven way to STOP our brains from being in this DEFAULT MODE on mind-wandering.
And THERE IS! You guessed it, it's meditation! Not only does meditation help you tap into the HERE and NOW in the moment, it has also been found to have a long-term impact on your life. The effects of meditation go beyond the moment of your meditation practice; they are changing your default patterns throughout the day.
By now, you are probably thinking "Ok, I got it, as a startup owner and a leader for my team, meditation is what's going to help me scale my business, from the inside out, but HOW do I get started?"
One way is to infuse weekly yoga and meditation sessions for yourself and your team. This way it's set on the calendar and you and your team are committed to making this practice a habit to reap all of its benefits.
Is Meditation Worth the Time and Effort?
Now if your objection is "I don't have enough money to dedicate to this", then ask yourself this: "Do you have enough money to dedicate to costs associated with sick employees, absenteeism & increased turnover?"
Preventative care is always going to save you more money than chronic illness care. Plus you and your team will feel more clear, focused and sharp for your projects, not to mention they will feel taken care of by their employer and more likely to go above & beyond on their responsibilities.
So if you want to scale your startup business quickly, you'll need to work from the inside out, aligning your subconscious to match what you are trying to create in your business and your life. Manifesting a reality you wish to embody is much easier when you are in a state of focused calm.
Masha is the founder of Vibrant Yoga - a Chicagoland wellness company that offers on-site and virtual yoga & meditation sessions as well nutrition & lifestyle workshops for small businesses and their employees. "We support you in creating an environment for your employees to move their bodies and de-stress, resulting in reduced burnout, sick time and increased morale, engagement, and productivity."
