April is Stress Awareness Month. To recognise the importance of creating a workplace that promotes and supports positive mental health and wellbeing, FRG is launching Wellbeing Wednesdays – Guided Meditation Sessions for our employees across the business.
The benefits of meditation are numerous and supported by science. Research has shown that people who regularly practice meditation see changes in their response to stress which can help them recover from stressful situations more easily and experience less stress from the day to day challenges they face.*
FRG’s guided meditation sessions are hosted online by FRG’s recruitment expert and trained meditation practitioner, Jade Trowsdale, every Wednesday and will focus on a different theme each week. Recorded sessions are available weekly for employees who are not able to stream the session live, so they can benefit from regular guided meditation at a time and location that works for them, or for those who wish to repeat the session throughout the week to build meditation into their routine.
To celebrate our Wellbeing Wednesday launch we’ve asked Jade to share her top five meditation tips for beginners:
Keep an Open Mind – Leave all expectations behind. Everyone’s experience of meditation varies from day to day, even those that are well practiced have tricky sessions. Don’t ask too much of yourself when you first start out, take each session as a new experience.
Give it Time – Meditation is a skill that you can develop and nurture the more you practice. If you can’t connect straight away, stick with it! Think of meditation as a tool to develop your wellbeing and self-awareness. You are worth the time, effort and commitment.
Be Kind to Yourself – Your mind will challenge you, and that is completely okay! If you find that your mind keeps wandering or that you are distracted by a busy mind, gently bring your attention back to the rise and fall of the breath. Try not to get frustrated and be patient with yourself.
Remember the Benefits – There is a reason that you are considering meditation. Is it to be more present and able to connect to the moment? Develop the skills to manage stress? Or to simply become more self-aware? The benefits of meditation are endless. Choose one that connects with you and use it as motivation.
Relax Into Your Space – Set yourself up in a comfortable space where you feel settled, the space you choose will influence your experience. It should be a space where you can sit comfortably without being distracted. Feel free to use a blanket, pillow, candle, headphones, whatever makes you feel relaxed!
* Hwang WJ, Lee TY, Lim KO, et al. The effects of four days of intensive mindfulness meditation training (Templestay program) on resilience to stress: a randomized controlled trial. Psychol Health Med. 2018;23(5):497–504.
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