Mindfulness at Work

Mindfulness at Work is a self-paced, experiential, completely online program designed to teach core mindfulness skills while also exploring specific applications to the workplace setting. The program explores key mindfulness traits and how they relate to essential workplace skills, such as presence, emotional regulation, resilience, cognitive flexibility, and communication, all of which are critical skills for thriving at work.

By exploring these topics from the perspective of the workplace, participants will gain an understanding of how to apply evidence-based techniques to help them succeed on the job. This program is 6 weeks in length, with weekly course work taking 30-45 minutes per week to complete, and formal home practice of 10 minutes per day.

More than 75% of past participants surveyed realized a reduction in stress upon completion of this program, and 93% were very satisfied or satisfied with the program. Additionally, 90% strongly agree or agree that Mindfulness at Work should be offered to others in their organization, including the University of Minnesota.

Learn more and register

Prior to registration, please review the orientation for this class.

Questions or comments? Please reach out to the Bakken Center's community relations office if you have questions about our mindfulness programming ([email protected], 612-625-8164). We welcome the opportunity to connect with you!

To make disability-related accommodations, please contact the Bakken Center's community relations office ([email protected], 612-625-8164).

Mindfulness at Work: What to Expect
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Course Overview and Objectives

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Topics

  • The Role of Mindfulness in the Workplace
  • From Reacting to Responding: Managing Stress Skillfully
  • Perspective Matters
  • Cultivating Resilience
  • Communicating and Connecting
  • Gratitude and Commitment

What You Will Learn

  • Define mindfulness and discuss the benefits of mindfulness in the workplace
  • Identify how stress manifests for you personally and how you can use mindfulness to increase your capacity to bounce back
  • Harness mindfulness to regulate emotions and respond skillfully in challenging situations
  • Employ mindful strategies to overcome the negativity bias, broaden perspective, and increase cognitive flexibility and creativity
  • Apply mindful strategies for more effective communication and connection
  • Develop a personal mindfulness routine by completing the regular out‐of‐class practices

What To Expect

Online courses are taught utilizing a course management system and are available globally.

  • Students move through weekly content at their own pace
  • Course duration of 6 weeks, with 30-45 minutes of weekly course content
  • Formal home practice of 10 minutes per day

Additional Resources

Resources and activities for each week of the course will be provided on a course website. A typical week will consist of the following activities:

  • Weekly topical video introduction from instructor and guided exercises
  • Instructor-led guided meditations and suggestions for practice activities
  • Individual daily meditation practice and journal entry
  • Supplemental readings/viewings
  • Access to a course instructor who can answer your questions about mindfulness and support your meditation practice.

Outcomes

Course participants report improved work-related outcomes including:

  • Increased ability to identify when they are stressed at work and methods for responding
  • Enhanced understanding of how their habits and attitudes impact their perceptions of work events
  • Increased attentiveness to what others are saying
  • Acquisition of specific strategies for dealing with challenges at work

Instructors

Center courses and workshops are facilitated by our experienced instructors, who have deep experience in teaching mindfulness and meditation courses, workshops and retreats within the University, community, and organizations.

 

Haley_Alex

Alex Haley, MS, JD, MBAis an assistant professor at the Center, where  teaches undergraduate and graduate courses, assists with clinical research and helps support mindfulness programming for public, non-profit and for-profit organizations. He has practiced meditation for over 15 years, taught extensively, and has worked for start-ups, mid-sized companies and large multinationals both domestically and internationally in legal and business roles.

 

Louise Delagran

Louise Delagran, MA, MEd has worked as an elearning consultant for Fortune 500 companies for more than 20 years before becoming the director of the learning resources group at the Center. She has been involved in research and authored a number of articles on mindfulness. She has practiced mindfulness for more than 16 years and regularly teaches courses on wellbeing and mindfulness.

 

Johnson_Mariann

Mariann Johnson currently serves as a Mindfulness Instructor for the Center. Prior to joining the Center as a staff instructor, she helped establish the Center’s Mindfulness at Work program and was a member of the Mindful-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) instructor team. Mariann also served as the Center’s MBSR instructor for research projects.

Evaluation

As part of a major land-grant university, the Center is committed to systematically evaluating its programs using best practices in data collection. We employ a pre/post Perceived Stress Scale inventory survey in conjunction with our Mindfulness at Work course, in addition to a post-course evaluation, querying participants regarding their experience with the course.