Testimonials from a Mindful Business – 8 Week Course.

I really enjoyed this course and it taught me effective ways of incorporating mindfulness into my daily life. It has also helped with work as I felt more focussed and able to handle minor stresses.Adam was fantastic. I felt that the pace of the course was great, as little things like the tone of his voice and the time he took to explain everything during each session really helped to get us in the right frame of mind for meditation.

I think this course was a great idea and would recommend it to anyone.

This was an excellent course. It was expertly delivered and I learnt a range of techniques that I now adapt for use in everyday situations to help me still my mind and focus on the present moment.

I thought the course was really helpful and has certainly opened my eyes to different methods of relaxation and of being more mindful in my everyday life.

Really enjoyed it and grateful Leo agreed to put it on as it showed commitment and interest in our wellbeing and, although it’s not for everyone, it was a great opportunity. I think it gave us all some really good techniques to use – the key, as the trainer said, is to introduce it daily and train yourself as it’s all about the practice. Gym for the mind and all that.

The course was very good and definitely made me think about taking a couple of breaths before starting something new.

It was extremely helpful and useful both from a work and personal perspective. I have learned different techniques that I can use to be mindful, remain calm and cope better.

I enjoyed the course and some of the techniques I find very useful for staying calm in stressful situations and relaxing. I really like the principles of meditation and mindfulness but I need to work on actually doing it in my own time. I didn’t have a ‘revelation’ moment where it all made sense but I am still hoping I will, if I continue the practice.

Overall course was good. However, the air conditioning in the room was a bit distracting for meditation.

I really enjoyed this course and found that it gave me some really practical ways of dealing with the stresses and strains of the job we do. I understand from the trainer that mindfulness needs practice but already I am feeling the benefits.

Very good course. The trainer was very knowledgeable and able to transfer knowledge well. Training environment was a little off-putting to people looking in but appreciate little choice here. One hour sessions at a time were ideal.

I thought the course was uplifting and made me feel really positive about things

I have very much enjoyed meditation and found it has benefitted me both in and out of work. I have taken part in various meditation courses in the last year since my mum was diagnosed with cancer to explore ways of dealing with difficulties, and found Adam’s course accessible and easy to understand.

This was something I really wanted to try out as I had heard lots of good things about mindfulness. I enjoyed the practical sections whereby we actually practised meditating and being mindful and I think Adam was good at facilitating them.

I loved it. Lovely way to start the day and Adam was a great teacher 🙂 I am used to dealing with fast-paced training and cramming in information so I wanted to learn faster but I got used to the pace by the end.

Yes, it has definitely made it more accessible. Before I started the course I had read up on meditation and mindfulness but wasn’t sure where to start with it. The course has been a very good introduction and has made it seem like something I can implement in my life, rather than just an abstract concept.I already had a positive view of the benefits of meditation before starting this course; my views, however, have been strengthened as a result of attendance on this course.  Yes, it’s shown that it’s not just about sitting still and trying to clear your mind – there are other techniques and options if that doesn’t suit.

Not as such – I always thought it could be a helpful tool and so it just confirmed that this kind of thing can work and bring some mental calm.

Yes, no longer think as a hippy thing

Yes, it was practical and realistic about the time we have to practice and encouraged me to accept that just being aware that I was not being mindful (when eating for instance) is practice in itself which I found very positive.

Yes, it has, I assumed it would all be lotus position and one basic technique of sitting quietly. I wasn’t aware of all the techniques available and that you can tailor it so much to your personal environment.

Yes, I used to think it was a bit airy fairy but I can see the practical applications and how they would help people.

No confirmed what I thought

I went to the course with an open mind but was a bit reluctant that it would work for me. I am quite surprised and pleased at how useful I have found this course and how it can be incorporated into the working day no matter whether you have 2 minutes between calls or half an hour at the end of the day.

Knew it would be useful as I am a believer! Techniques were good.

I have always wanted to try Meditation

As I have been trying to integrate meditation into my everyday life I found the course encouraged me to try each practice at home each week and it was a good reminder for doing it.

Yes. I think I’ve found it less useful when practising alone. However, the classes work well, so I know how best to get something out of doing it now. I also understand the basic principles whereas I didn’t before I started.

Yes. I was of the impression that you needed to get yourself in a separate location and a specific headspace to be able to meditate or be mindful. I now know it can be achieved anywhere at any time.

I found the course very valuable and it has given me some useful skills to apply in work situations such as meetings and also in my personal life.

I particularly enjoyed week 5 (I think) where we were taught how to let our thoughts pass through our minds like clouds. I generally find it harder to try to have any thoughts at all, so it was good to learn a technique where we could just acknowledge a thought and let it pass, rather than trying to stop it.Breathing meditations and blue sky meditations were most beneficial as they helped me to clear my mind and focus on the present moment. I returned to the working environment much calmer and was more able to focus and concentrate on my work.   I thought the mindful eating session was really helpful and I also liked the breathing focused one.

Walking, visualisation, eating, concentrating on the breath – all of it, really

The general breathing and concentrating on the breath is definitely useful. I definitely felt more focussed after the session.

Mindful eating and mindful walking. These are things you do every day that allow you an opportunity to practice without making extra time to do so.

The counting one because I need something to focus on.

The mindful breathing and eating are also useful and I enjoyed the blue sky med The mindful listening, as I think this will help with my job and on a personal level as I appreciate that I probably don’t give people the attention they deserve.

Also the mindful eating, as I found this the easiest to practice.

Mindful walking and eating

I found the mindful walking helpful and try to do this on my walk to the train station after work. I find that this helps me to leave work at work and come back the next day feeling more refreshed rather than thinking about my cases all evening and so on.

I also found the breathing exercises helpful and will try to use these at work for example after calls that are difficult.

Mindful breathing, eating and walking. All so taken for granted!

The body and breathing the eating and the blue sky. Found them relaxing energising and make me think about things more. I eat more slowly and enjoy my food more. I also feel better about letting negative thoughts go.

I found the body scan meditation the most beneficial as it gave me something to focus my attention on.

The files sent through to after each session enables me to practice the exercises at home and continue to experience the positive benefits of the course.

Sitting and lying down – because I was able to be mindful, focus and relax.

I like the walking one and the ‘blue sky’ one too. The walking one was useful as I usually just charge ahead aiming to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible but now I can make use of the journey to prepare myself if I am walking to work to get in the right frame of mind or to focus on issues that I need to. I find it productive.

The ‘blue sky’ practice is very useful for clearing the mind and allowing me to recharge. I find I cannot do it just sitting up yet and I need to lie down in a quiet space but I will be practising to get the best out of it.

I was unaware of how wide the process could be with mindful eating and walking, for example, coming as a surprise.

The listening, breathing and visualisation.

Trying to be a bit more mindful and focussed in small ways (for example mindful walking or just taking a second to breathe and be present before answering the phone) which will help me be present when completing tasks. I also think meditating regularly (outside of work) will be a good way of dealing with stress.

Breathing meditations (especially the short meditations) and blue sky meditations.

Yes, I would tell them that it teaches valuable techniques that are really beneficial to the workplace and to everyday life.

Mindful listening, breathing – just knowing that if I’m getting stressed or anything, I can use a technique I’ve learnt to try to alleviate it.

The Body scanning because this can be done at the desk and possibly blue sky mind thinking and letting thoughts (negative ones) pass through like clouds’ listening exercise.

Mindful breathing and listening to stay calm.

All I hope

I will try to continue using the mindful walking and breathing exercises.

Letting things go, seeing things from another’s perspective (and not getting so annoyed at someone’s inadequate performance).

Eating and breathing

The breathing exercises were most helpful for integrating into my working life; I have found them very beneficial when dealing with difficult callers both during the call and afterwards.

The walking one and also just taking a moment before jumping in to do something. I don’t need to answer each email immediately and can focus on one task at a time.

Mindful listening

Yes. I think Adam’s introduction would be a good place to start, as well as some basic info about why meditation and mindfulness can be useful in your working life and your personal life.

I would most definitely recommend this course to my colleagues.

A number of colleagues have already approached me to discuss the course and the benefits that I have experienced as a result of attending. If I were to approach a colleague about the course, I would introduce the subject by explaining the positive benefits that I experienced.

Yes, I would tell them that it teaches valuable techniques that are really beneficial to the workplace and to everyday life.

Yes – I’d tell them that it’s an opportunity for them to learn techniques that, if regularly practised, could help them feel less stressed and calmer.

Yes. Mention that it is good for de-stressing and also good to enable focusing

Yes. I would say that it is an opportunity to learn techniques that help you cope with pressure inside and outside of work.

Yes, I would if I felt it would help them. If they were showing signs of stress or being overwhelmed, I would perhaps suggest it as an option to resolve this and help them focus.

We work in a very busy and stressful environment where we are constantly working to time pressure put on us by others, be that by management or the complainants/lawyers, and it is important to recognise that we need time to ourselves.

Yes – I would tell them it is very worthwhile for the kind of work environment we are in.

I would recommend the course and advise them to keep an open mind and see if there is anything that will work for them.

Yes. Talk about the benefit to me and point them in the direction of some of the emails they may find of relevance to them.

Definitely and have already told many members of staff about the benefits.

I would try to introduce another taster session.

Definitely. The way Adam introduced the course at the beginning with the media articles and changing perspective pieces was a good way of introducing meditation to people and challenged their preconceived ideas of it.

Yes, I think everyone should at least give it a go. I’d recommend a taster course in the first instance.

The course was just an introduction but I would recommend it to any of my colleagues as a way to allow yourself to cope with the requirements of a modern working life. You only get out what you put in though and it is not a quick fix but an adjustment to be made going forward that will become a part of your life. I would recommend this to all colleagues including senior managers. I would pitch it that it gives you a set of tools to apply to both work and home situations and can help you be more alert, focused and manage stressful situations. It is NOT some “hippy thing”.

I think it is a good way of distressing and re-centering yourself. As an Investigator I can sometimes deal with difficult people and situations and meditation and mindfulness is one way of trying to cope with that.

The mindfulness walking exercise made me feel rather self-conscious. Staff were able to watch us walking around a glass-walled room and this made it hard for me to focus on the exercise. I have no doubt that mindful walking has its benefits and I do intend to practice the exercise in a more suitable environment.

The nature of the work that we do can be stressful and the meditation can be really helpful for this.

Because it’s about taking time for yourself and, in a world of so much stress and tension, it’s good to take an opportunity to attempt to relax.

It helps to focus and clarify the mind and to concentrate on the present when there is a lot going on.

I think for some people it can be very beneficial and I think more generally some of the techniques used can be useful day-to-day.

The nature of the job that we do is stressful and demanding at times and I feel that all staff should have the opportunity to try out meditation because it can help to re-focus and move on after a difficult conversation with a complainant for example rather than dwelling on what was said and allowing this to encroach upon the next task.

Self-help techniques to manage stress in daily life – home and/or work. There is organisational responsibility and also personal responsibility.

Makes people more positive and have better concentration

As our roles are very stressful and we often deal with difficult people meditation will help staff to take a step back, to think more clearly and be more productive with their time.

Work can be stressful and it’s easy to lose perspective. Meditation can help to slow the mind, relax and put things into perspective.

Because stress is a killer and being able to focus the mind and enable yourself to take a mental step away from a situation and deal with it is invaluable.

Really glad this was organised, I think it was a great opportunity…thank you.

Can we make this a regular thing at LeO? I would love to attend a weekly session of mindfulness.

Adam is very knowledgeable about the subject, but I sometimes felt that he didn’t quite answer the questions.

It would be good if we could have say lunchtime sessions to practice and carry it forward.

Hope to get Adam back for refresher sessions which would be very helpful and if there was an opportunity to carry on with the practice in additional lessons I would definitely join.

We need more I think – maybe some meditation practice as opposed to learning – putting the learned stuff into practice.

I really enjoyed this course, thank you for organising it to take place.

Thank you for organising.

I really did think this was an amazing course. Something that I really looked forward to each week. It’s made me think about things in a more positive way and Adam was a great teacher and I would say he is now a good friend.

I think people’s attitudes will hold them back when it comes to this course. I understand that people want to take a course and see results straight away and may be disappointed if one hour a week does not make a difference. But the point of it is to be a practice in everyday life and the classes are simply an encouragement to do this, the responsibility is on the individual to take it further.

Thanks for coordinating this course and giving us a chance to try it out.

Great course that I would be keen to offer again later in the year.

Find out how to bring Mindful Meditation into your office here.