19 April, 9:00 - 17:00 & 26 April 2023, 9:00 -12:30

Mindfulness is shown to reduce stress as well as improve mental and physical health, focus, and productivity. It is one of the most powerful tools to manage our attention. Yet, mindfulness is about a lot more than just about attention, it is also about thinking and perceiving differently as we do in autopilot mode that usually navigates us through daily life. Thus, mindfulness asks for kindness and curiosity in how we approach both work and life in general. Practicing mindfulness allows for a more deliberate, open, aware and conscious lifestyle, serving yourself and the world around you.

In this course, I want to provide a beginner's guide to that topic. We will speak about the stressors of today’s world & working in academia, as well as what stress does to our minds and bodies. From there, we will move to the topic of mindfulness and understand why mindfulness is so well suited to counteract not only the effects but also the precursors of stress. We will finish by thinking about mindfulness as a practice to relax and become calm, but also as a very powerful technique to tackle different challenges of working in academia. The workshop will be very interactive; a mix of theoretical input, open discussions, group work and practical exercises.

1. Gain insight into the philosophy and science of mindfulness and meditation.
2. Learn to observe stress and challenges (e.g., decision making or navigating conflict) from a perspective of mindfulness and how they can be dealt with skillfully.
3. Experience and practice different forms and techniques of mindfulness.
4. Learn how to apply practices, strategies and interventions to support self-awareness and self-management in daily life.