I have met many brilliant men through my work who are outwardly capable, successful and composed, but internally carrying more than anyone knows. They may be holding pressure, responsibility, self-doubt, grief, exhaustion, loneliness or the quiet fear of not being enough. Often, they are not lacking intelligence or resilience. They have usually been resilient for a very long time. The issue is that resilience without honesty can become another form of self-abandonment. We keep going, but we stop listening.

This is why emotional honesty matters. It is not weakness, self-indulgence or a failure of professionalism. It is self-leadership. It is the moment we stop outsourcing our worth to performance and begin listening to the truth of our own inner life. For many men, this can feel unfamiliar because the permission to speak honestly about emotional experience may not have been available in childhood, education, sport, work or family culture. Some men have learned that vulnerability will be punished, mocked or ignored. Others have simply never been shown a language for what they feel.

Men’s mental health is not only a private issue. It affects leadership, relationships, communication, workplace culture and the quality of decisions people make under pressure. When emotional strain is hidden for too long, the person may still appear to be functioning, but their inner resources may be quietly depleting. This is one of the reasons I believe we need a more mature conversation about strength, especially in professional environments where performance can so easily become a mask.

The trouble is that what is not expressed does not disappear. It often finds another route. It may become irritability, withdrawal, overworking, numbing, cynicism or a private sense of disconnection. In professional life, this can show up as difficulty asking for help, reluctance to admit uncertainty, defensiveness when challenged, or an inability to rest without guilt. At home, it may show up as emotional distance, impatience or the tendency to disappear into busyness just when connection is most needed.

There is a different kind of strength available. It says tell the truth, ask for help, let someone in and listen to what the body is trying to say. This strength does not require us to collapse or make our emotions everyone else’s responsibility. It asks for something more mature than that. It asks us to become conscious participants in our own inner life. It asks us to notice what is happening before it becomes a crisis. It asks us to build the capacity to say, “I am struggling,” “I need support,” or “I do not know how to hold all of this alone.”

In leadership, this matters enormously. When leaders model emotional honesty with appropriate boundaries, they create cultures where others do not have to pretend quite so much. This does not mean turning every meeting into a therapy session. It means allowing humanity to be present in professional life. It means recognising that clarity, creativity, empathy and good judgement all depend on the state of the human being making the decision. If people are exhausted, afraid or silently overwhelmed, performance will eventually suffer, even if the mask holds for a while.

This is where emotional honesty connects with Conscious Confidence. Confidence is often misunderstood as certainty, control or a polished performance of strength. But Conscious Confidence is not bravado. It is the capacity to stay present with what is real and take one honest, values-led step from there. Sometimes the honest step is decisive action. Sometimes it is a difficult conversation. Sometimes it is rest. Sometimes it is asking for help before the situation becomes unmanageable.

There is a profound difference between saying “I am fine” as a reflex and saying “I am finding this difficult” as an act of courage. The first may preserve the appearance of control, but the second opens the door to connection, support and change. For many men, that door can feel uncomfortable at first. Yet on the other side of it there is often relief. Not because everything is solved immediately, but because the burden is no longer being carried in isolation.

I often think about how much energy is spent maintaining the image of strength. What might become possible if some of that energy were redirected into honesty, connection and repair? What if strength were measured not only by endurance, but by responsiveness? What if asking for help were seen not as a collapse of confidence, but as an expression of it? What if men were allowed to be whole human beings rather than endlessly competent performers?

For Men’s Health Week, my invitation is simple. Notice where you may be performing strength at the expense of truth. Notice where your body has been trying to get your attention. Notice where you might need support, space, rest or a more honest conversation. Sometimes the most powerful thing a man can say is, “I need help.” And sometimes the most loving thing another person can say is, “I’m here. Tell me more.”

By Neil Seligman

Neil Seligman is a pioneer in the field of conscious leadership and a passionate advocate for mindfulness, presence, and spiritual growth at work and in life. He is the author of Conscious Leadership and 100 Mindfulness Meditations, and the Founder of The Conscious Professional.

Ready to go deeper? Here are three ways to connect:

1. Try our 10-day online mindfulness course: Zen in Ten

2. Explore 1:1 Coaching or Energy Work: Schedule Here

3. Explore Keynotes and Team Trainings: Let’s Talk

The post Men’s Health Week: The Strength of Emotional Honesty appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

It is sometimes mistaken for passivity, or a lack of urgency, or an absence of drive. In high-performing environments, this can lead to an unspoken assumption that calmness is somehow at odds with ambition.

In reality, the opposite is often true.

Calm, in a leadership context, is not the removal of intensity. It is the ability to hold intensity without becoming overwhelmed by it. It is a form of stability that allows others to function at their best.

When a leader is calm, the team begins to settle. Not because everything is easy, but because the environment feels workable. There is less noise in the system. Less second guessing. Less energy spent on managing perceived threat.

This matters more than we might think.

Psychological safety is now widely recognised as a key factor in team performance. Yet safety is not created through policy alone. It is transmitted through behaviour, moment by moment. Through how a leader listens, how they respond to mistakes, how they handle pressure.

A calm leader signals something important. It is safe to think here.

When people feel safe enough, they contribute more fully. They ask better questions. They admit uncertainty earlier. They take responsibility without excessive fear of blame. The overall intelligence of the group increases.

Trust grows in this kind of environment. Not as an abstract concept, but as a felt experience. People begin to rely on one another more naturally. Collaboration becomes less effortful.

Performance follows.

This does not mean that calm leaders avoid difficult conversations. Quite the opposite. They are often more direct, because they are not driven by reactivity. Feedback is given clearly, without unnecessary emotional charge. Expectations are set and upheld.

There is a quiet authority in this.

It is worth noting that calm is not constant. No leader is regulated all the time. The difference lies in recovery. How quickly do you return to centre after being disrupted? How aware are you of your own state in the moment?

Teams do not need perfection. They need consistency and repair.

If a leader loses their steadiness and then acknowledges it, recalibrates, and reconnects, this in itself builds trust. It models something human and usable. It shows that regulation is a practice, not a fixed trait.

Over time, the effect compounds. A calm leader creates a calmer team. A calmer team thinks more clearly, relates more effectively, and performs more sustainably.

The question is not whether calm matters. It is whether we are willing to cultivate it deliberately.

Because in the end, calm is not a personality type. It is a skill. And like any skill, it can be strengthened with attention and practice.

By Neil Seligman

Neil Seligman is a pioneer in the field of conscious leadership and a passionate advocate for mindfulness, presence, and spiritual growth at work and in life. He is the author of Conscious Leadership and 100 Mindfulness Meditations, and the Founder of The Conscious Professional.

Ready to go deeper? Here are three ways to connect:

1. Try our 10-day online mindfulness course: Zen in Ten

2. Explore 1:1 Coaching or Energy Work: Schedule Here

3. Explore Keynotes and Team Trainings: Let’s Talk

The post Why Calm Leaders Create Better Teams appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

Most professionals believe they are good listeners. In practice, much of what passes for listening is waiting, waiting to respond, waiting to interrupt, or waiting to bring the conversation back to something familiar. This kind of listening is functional, but it is rarely transformative.

True listening requires presence. When a leader is fully listening, something shifts in the room. Attention becomes more available, the pace of the conversation naturally steadies, and people feel less pressure to perform or defend their position. As a result, conversations become more honest, more nuanced, and ultimately more useful.

This is not about technique, but about where attention is resting. If attention is split between the person speaking and the internal commentary running alongside, then listening is partial. Important signals are missed, meaning becomes diluted, and responses tend to be shaped more by assumption than by what is actually being said.

In high-pressure environments, this fragmentation of attention is common. Conversations move quickly, decisions are needed, and efficiency is prioritised. Listening becomes compressed, and while this may appear productive in the moment, the longer term cost is significant. Misunderstandings increase, assumptions go unchallenged, and people begin to feel unheard even when their words have technically been acknowledged.

Listening well is not passive. It is an active form of leadership that enables better decision-making, stronger relationships, and a more stable working environment. When people feel genuinely heard, they are more likely to contribute openly and engage more fully with the work.

There are simple ways to begin strengthening this capacity. One is to notice the impulse to interrupt and consciously allow it to pass. Another is to leave a brief pause after someone has finished speaking, giving space for what has been said to land fully before responding. These small shifts change the quality of interaction far more than most communication techniques.

Listening also involves attending to what is not being said. Tone, hesitation, and shifts in energy often carry as much meaning as words. Developing sensitivity to these signals requires a more receptive kind of attention, one that is less focused on analysing and more open to observing.

For many leaders, this can feel unfamiliar at first. It may seem slower, or even less efficient. In practice, it reduces the need for repeated conversations, clarifications, and corrections later on. What is gained in depth more than compensates for what appears to be lost in speed.

Presence is the foundation of all of this. When you are present, listening happens naturally. When you are not, no amount of technique will fully compensate. In my work with senior professionals, improving listening often has a disproportionate impact, not because people learn something new, but because they begin to attend differently.

If you want to strengthen your leadership, begin here. Listen not just to reply, but to understand, and notice what changes when you do.

By Neil Seligman

Neil Seligman is a pioneer in the field of conscious leadership and a passionate advocate for mindfulness, presence, and spiritual growth at work and in life. He is the author of Conscious Leadership and 100 Mindfulness Meditations, and the Founder of The Conscious Professional.

Ready to go deeper? Here are three ways to connect:

1. Try our 10-day online mindfulness course: Zen in Ten

2. Explore 1:1 Coaching or Energy Work: Schedule Here

3. Explore Keynotes and Team Trainings: Let’s Talk

The post Listening as a Leadership Act appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

Professional presence influences how we communicate, how we make decisions, how we lead, and how we are perceived by others. It shapes trust, credibility, and effectiveness. In many ways, it is the foundation beneath technical expertise, leadership capability, and emotional intelligence.

When someone has presence at work, you can feel it immediately. They are attentive. They are not rushing ahead mentally or distracted by internal commentary. Their attention is available. Conversations slow down. Complexity becomes easier to navigate.

This is not charisma. It is grounded attention.

In contrast, the absence of presence is costly. When professionals operate on autopilot, they miss nuance. They interrupt. They react rather than respond. Communication becomes rushed or defensive. Decision-making suffers.

Many high-performing professionals have learned to compensate for a lack of presence with speed, intellect, or control. This can drive results in the short term. Over time, it contributes to stress, misalignment, and burnout.

Presence is not about being calm all the time. It is about being fully engaged with what is actually happening, internally and externally. This is why presence is increasingly recognised as a core leadership skill.

From a performance perspective, presence improves decision-making. When we are present, we are more aware of subtle signals, both in ourselves and in others. We are less reactive and more deliberate. This leads to clearer judgment and better outcomes.

Presence also strengthens communication skills. Listening improves. Words become more measured. Silence is used effectively rather than avoided. These qualities are central to executive presence, even though they are rarely taught explicitly.

In leadership contexts, presence is deeply influential. Teams unconsciously regulate around the emotional tone of those in authority. Leaders who can maintain leadership presence under pressure tend to create environments of psychological safety, trust, and sustained performance.

This is not softness. It is a form of strength.

Presence is closely linked to mindfulness at work, though it does not require meditation cushions or long practices. At its core, mindfulness is about staying compassionately present with what is arising. In professional settings, this translates into clearer focus, better emotional regulation, and greater resilience.

One of the most effective ways to build presence is through the body. Slowing the breath. Feeling the feet on the floor. Allowing a pause before speaking. These small actions signal safety to the nervous system, which supports clarity and confidence.

Training presence is not about stopping thoughts. It is about relating to them differently, with more space and less identification. This shift alone can significantly reduce stress and improve workplace performance.

In demanding roles, presence also plays a role in burnout prevention. When professionals remain chronically disconnected from their own internal state, exhaustion often arrives unnoticed. Presence restores contact. It allows earlier course correction.

In a culture that rewards speed and output, presence can feel counter-cultural. Yet it is precisely what allows professionals to sustain effectiveness over time.

If you want to lead well, communicate clearly, and make better decisions under pressure, start here. Presence is not an optional extra. It is the ground from which professional mastery grows.

By Neil Seligman

Neil Seligman is a pioneer in the field of conscious leadership and a passionate advocate for mindfulness, presence, and spiritual growth at work and in life. He is the author of Conscious Leadership and 100 Mindfulness Meditations, and the Founder of The Conscious Professional.

Ready to go deeper? Here are three ways to connect:

1. Try our 10-day online mindfulness course: Zen in Ten

2. Explore 1:1 Coaching or Energy Work: Schedule Here

3. Explore Keynotes and Team Trainings: Let’s Talk

The post Why Presence Is the Most Underrated Professional Skill appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

Have you ever been stuck in a thoroughly unengaging, low-energy and unproductive meeting? I mean, the odds are that you have, at least once. I have, and I work alone!

It can often be hard to work positively and creatively if the physical environment you are working in is neither inspiring nor motivating. It can leave you feeling quite drained and disengaged. In today’s fast-paced business world, it’s easy to fall into the trap of dull, uninspiring meetings that feel more like a chore than a chance for growth and collaboration. Perhaps, by taking meetings beyond traditional places of work and into more mindful, engaging spaces, you can create an environment that fosters creativity, focus, and deeper connection.

So, what if the setting of your meetings changed on occasion? What if you swapped your office or boardroom for something different? Where could you go?

1.     A Green Space or Botanical Gardens

There is something about plants that makes me feel calm. Perhaps it’s the extra oxygen. Botanical gardens and other cultivated green spaces offer a serene environment that is a world away from a grey office suite. Hopefully, the natural setting would encourage relaxed yet focused conversations, making it an ideal location for brainstorming sessions or strategic discussions.

2.     The Beach

Who says you can’t have a meeting on the beach? The sound of waves and the soft breeze can help participants relax and become more open to new ideas. In fact, I listen to ocean waves to concentrate… I’d prefer the real thing if it was available! There is also something both humbling and majestic about the sea. It’s certain to alter the perspectives of the people in your meeting.

3.     A Rooftop Garden

Rooftop gardens in urban settings provide a peaceful escape from the city’s noise and chaos. They are also, one could argue, much more accessible and commonplace than the beach or a botanical garden! These elevated spaces offer tranquility while still being close to the action of the city, a juxtaposition that keeps you connected to the civilised word while also being with nature. The (ideally) beautiful views may spark fresh perspectives, perfect for strategic planning or team discussions.

4.     Galleries and Museums

If you are looking for examples of creativity and unique perspectives, then there is no better place than a gallery or museum. They are packed with thought-provoking exhibits and inspiring artwork (which is their MO) that can help stimulate creativity and open-mindedness. The peace within these vast spaces is also uniquely special, almost reverent. Certainly an environment that will leave you and your team feeling calm and inspired at the same time.

5.     A Café

We’ve had lots of grand places so far. But the setting needn’t be as ‘fancy’. I walk in cafés all the time. They have just enough bustle to feel like life is happening around you, which makes you feel connected with the outside world. They also don’t have so much bustle that the environment is distracting. The lighting is often soft. The harsh lighting of an office can feel harsh and clinical. Yes, cafés offer a comfortable environment that allows for focus without the rigidity of a corporate setting. They are ideal for one-on-ones or creative brainstorming sessions, where people can relax and feel more open to exchanging ideas in a low-pressure environment.

Ultimately, in my opinion anyway, working from a fresh location every now and then gives one new energy. The world is a big place full of interesting perspectives and cultures. Trying to come up with new ideas while working in the same place for years on end can become frustrating. Change your view and watch your innovation and creativity blossom.

By Chris Thomson

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 3 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Learn To Meditate With Neil In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.

2. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Coaching Partnership or Professional Wellbeing Appointment is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil Seligman here.

3. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post Beyond the Boardroom: Unique Settings for Mindful Business Meetings appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

Work can be stressful. You could argue that it should be stressful at least some of the time, but only because those striving for a goal are passionate about achieving it. But of course, most workplaces also come with less wholesome clashes (at least some of the time). Things can get intense. How do you manage to keep your head during these situations? Not only ‘how do you stay calm and focused?’, but also, ‘how do you manage to de-escalate and direct proceedings to a positive outcome?’

Here are some mindfulness and meditation-based possibilities…

1.     Close Your Eyes and Breathe Deep

If all about me is noise, tension and chaos, I get overwhelmed and overstimulated very easily. However, I have a shortcut to taking myself away from the situation, even without actually physically removing myself. I close my eyes and take slow, deep breaths, focusing on just that, ‘the breath’. This activates your body’s relaxation response. I inhale for four seconds, hold for four, and exhale for four. I repeat this until my heart rate has slowed and clarity returns.

2.     Focus on the Solution

It’s easy to sling mud and focus on the negatives of a situation. So, focus on the potential positive, i.e. ‘the solution’. So, shift your focus from the stress or problem at hand to possible solutions. By concentrating on what you can control, you can prevent feelings of being overwhelmed and move towards a tangible solve.

3.      Smaller Steps

If things are going south because a problem is too complex, it works well to break everything down into smaller pieces. Although it might feel like a more laborious way in which to move towards a goal, making a large task bite-size and coming to a consensus for each part, will culminate in a much more thorough, thought-through and troubleshot solution.

4.     Take Short, Frequent Breaks

Similarly, going at something for hours and hours is usually counterproductive past a certain point. Although not a process involving other people, i often find the same issue occurs when writing. I’ll be able to type and create for a certain burst of time, but then I’ll come up against a wall. I could either stare at the gap where more words are meant to go and get frustrated or maybe pump out a few half-witted paragraphs. Or, I could go away, do something else (a chore, make tea, go for a walk, exercise), and come back with a refreshed brain and body.

5.     Take a Positive Angle

Intense situations often feel like threats. They feel negative by nature. Try to oppose this. Try to reframe the intense negotiation, disagreement, or problem in a positive light. See it as an opportunity for growth, teamwork, a challenge or a way to show off a skill you don’t normally get to show off. This shift in mindset can help you manage stress and remain more objective in your decision-making.

6.     Trust Yourself

Clashes at work and challenges to your way of doing things often result in self-doubt. I struggle with this often. Try not to let what you know about yourself and your abilities be overridden by what another person might have said thoughtlessly or in anger. You are in the room because you have the skills to be there. Trust that you now what you are doing.

7.     ‘No’.

Keep your boundaries. It’s OK to say ‘no’ (within reason, of course). Overcommitting can heighten stress, so prioritising tasks and limiting your workload will help you stay focused and in control. I have been known to fall foul of being an overambitious ‘yes man’ and ended up becoming very stressed because of it. Know your limits. Hold your boundaries.

By Chris Thomson

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 3 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Learn To Meditate With Neil In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.

2. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Coaching Partnership or Professional Wellbeing Appointment is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil Seligman here.

3. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post Calm in the Storm: Managing Stress During Intense Work Situations appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

Work-face balance is not an indulgence. It is a necessity and a right. Luckily, most businesses are coming around to this way of thinking. This is not only an empathetic trend, but it is becoming clearer and clearer too all who work and employ that a thriving ‘rest and recreation’ section to people’s lives has a huge positive impact on workplace culture and doing good business in general. A healthy social life is a significant contributor to a healthy professional life.

I think it’s fair to say that quite a few people are guilty of focusing solely on career growth, and often neglect the value of strong social connections. Keeping a good social life running can significantly boost your work performance, mental wellbeing, and overall job satisfaction. So, in an effort to help you begin to use your social connections to boost your career, here are six ways that fostering relationships in your leisure time can enhance your professional life.

1.     Burnout Prevention

Spending time with friends and family, and engaging in social activities are a natural stress reliever. Indeed, things such as fun and arguably trivial conversations, laughter, and shared experiences help to mediate cortisol levels. Feeling good after a night spent bowling with your mates, an afternoon spent at the cinema with your partner or a weekend spent camping with your family will send you into work refreshed and ready to make an impact and tackle tricky challenges.

2.     Punch Up Communication Skills

Strong personal relationships outside of work improve your ability to communicate effectively in professional settings. This is largely because it improves one’s empathy, and the ability to see colleagues as feeling people with faults, feelings, preferences and points of view. Having meaningful conversations, active listening, and navigating unfamiliar social situations are all things that translate to the business world. Practising human connection will always be useful for the workplace.

3.     Networking and Opportunities

This is truer in some industries than others, but social events can sometimes throw up unexpected relationships and opportunities. I’m in the creative industry, and this fact is 100% true in my line of business.  Whether through friends, acquaintances, organised gatherings, networking in a relaxed environment can open doors to new collaborations, job offers, or valuable insights that benefit your career growth.

4.     New-Ideas

Being social with a wider breadth of people from diverse backgrounds and industries can help you think differently and spark creativity. Innovation and invention usually come from an external, unexpected source.

5.     EI

Social interactions help to build emotional intelligence, a key skill for workplace success (and indeed, strong and valuable personal relationships). Understanding emotions, managing relationships, and demonstrating empathy can strengthen leadership abilities, improve teamwork, and create a positive work culture.

6.     Overall Work Satisfaction

Having a fulfilling social life contributes to a greater sense of happiness and wellbeing, which, in turn, leads to increased job satisfaction. When you feel supported and connected outside of work, you bring more positivity and motivation to your professional environment. So, make sure you make time for a social life. It is just as important as (and indeed, helps you towards) your career goals.

By Chris Thomson

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 3 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Learn To Meditate With Neil In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.

2. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Coaching Partnership or Professional Wellbeing Appointment is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil Seligman here.

3. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post 6 Ways A Healthy Social Life Leads to A Healthy Work Life appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

The pandemic. Remember that? I don’t know about you, but the petering out of restrictions and the societal eagerness to get ‘back to normal’ doesn’t just make it feel like ancient history at times, but sometimes, based on how the world has returned to its old self, you’d have a job convincing me that out collective trauma ever happened at all.

This is, of course, an exaggeration. But it does beg the question, is our everyday world really the same as it used to be? Well, it can’t be, can it? There are many things that have changed. There are many practices and attitudes that have stuck. Some have been adopted so completely, that we can’t remember a time when it was not the status quo. For example, Zooms! Remember when video conferencing wasn’t really a thing for most of us? It certainly wasn’t for me. Had you ever heard of Zoom before 2020? I hadn’t! Now, Zooming, FaceTime, and remote meetings are completely accepted as a standard tool.

I also carry sanitiser and think twice about eating a birthday cake after the birthday 6-year-old has forcefully attempted to blow their candles out multiple times. Anyway, I digress. As this is a conscious workplace-based blog, perhaps it’s worth reminiscing on which positive workplace practices have stuck.

1.     Home

Let’s start with the most obvious one, working from home. For years many companies argued that working from home was counterproductive or simply not possible. The advent of the pandemic proved that it was possible. Quite easily in many cases. And many subsequent surveys and research projects have measured increased productivity. This goes to show how effective giving workers flexibility, comfort and work-life balance can really impact their wellbeing and job satisfaction.

However, it’s not just a change in attitude due to productivity and quality of work. There seems to have been an increase in empathy. Workplaces are much more readily offering remote work options in order to make work itself more accessible. It’s also because, as a collective, quality employees are less likely to apply for roles if this is not an option… but credit where credit is due, eh!

2.     The Rise of HR

During the pandemic, HR departments were tasked with a much bigger responsibility than they had previously been. Suddenly, HR workers weren’t just hiring, training and looking after staff, but aiding companies in solving huge logistical problems in order to keep businesses going. Since that time, the scope of HR has increased across the board and tends to be more prominent as a department and a tool in the minds of conscious leaders.

3.     Wellbeing

As mentioned previously, wellbeing has managed to remain as much more of a priority. The pandemic forced all of us to empathise. We all went through something, from the top of society to the bottom, and as a result, companies are more conscious than ever of employee mental health and wellbeing. This is partially, one could argue in hope, because more leaders had, themselves, experienced the real-world impact of the pandemic. It may also be because HR policies that came in during those years, pertaining to employee wellbeing, have stuck and proven to be great for both employer and employee.

4.     Work-Life Balance

This is somewhat an extension of all the previous points. We all learned especially many of us who have a habit of never stopping, that having space that is unoccupied by work, or social engagements, or whatever it may be, is valuable. Among all the traumatic elements of the pandemic, many of us (myself included) look back on that lockdown time in a positive light (which we may well not have imagined at the time). And if I, someone who became a parent and lost a parent during that time, can say that, then I fancy there are hoards of others who feel the same way. Companies simply seem to see leisure and rest as a higher priority now.

By Chris Thomson

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 3 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Learn To Meditate With Neil In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.

2. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Coaching Partnership or Professional Wellbeing Appointment is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil Seligman here.

3. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post Post-Pandemic Practices: How Has ‘The Workplace’ Changed Five Years On appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

Forever jobs aren’t really a thing anymore. That’s not to say they don’t exist, but it certainly isn’t the norm like it used to be. Now, as wonderful as it is to know that your life has the potential to change, fly off in exciting directions, and offer you more than one relentless career experience until you’re done with work entirely, it also has tricky elements. What to do next? Where to sidestep to? Is this industry even where I want to work anymore? Is it time to let go yet… or not?

That’s it, isn’t it? Have I got everything out of this job? Has it reached its limit? Is my time here done? Not sure how to answer any of these? Then start by listening to yourself and being conscious of some of the signs. Let yourself consider a different future, and see how it makes you feel.

1.     You Feel Unchallenged

Perhaps you have gotten all that you can get from this job. As an actor, I am always looking to learn. If I feel that there is nothing left to learn or challenge me, then I will likely not return to that particular job or employer. If you can feel stagnation creeping in, or that you have stopped caring because you are bored… get out of there!

2.     You’ve Reached the Top

Similarly, if you have reached the top of your game in the role you are currently in, and there is no place in the business for you to progress to, then find somewhere that does.

3.     Unworkable Work/Life Balance

Businesses should prioritise the work/life balance of their employees. The fact is some do, and some don’t. You may be in a job where you spend more time at work than you should. And that might have been something you were perfectly OK with once upon a time. However, if you now feel like the balance doesn’t work for you anymore. If you now feel like work is taking up too much space to make you happy… now might be the time to re-evaluate.

4.     You Don’t Want to Go to Work

If your wellbeing is being impacted by the mere idea of going to work. If you can’t sleep because of the idea of getting the terrain in the next morning. If anxiety fills your chest when you think of your desk… then the risk of moving may well be worth it. Of course, you should consider whether what’s causing these feelings is fixable. But if it isn’t, don’t hesitate, look ahead.

5.     The Company Just Doesn’t Sit with Your Values Anymore

Companies, like people, evolve over time. Even if you felt that your ethos and the company’s ethos were aligned when you joined, that is not to say that they will be aligned forever. The business might have changed its priorities away from your beliefs and employee wellbeing. You may have had an experience that has fundamentally changed your outlook. Both of those things might have happened. Like any relationship, two parties can grow apart. The chasm may be fillable, or perhaps it’s time to call the whole thing off.

6.     You Want to Move

Perhaps, when you think about moving on to the next chapter of your journey, the idea isn’t actually that scary. Changing your job, or even your career, is a huge deal, and it should be scary. You should have questions and it is normal to have doubts. However, if this scary thing is starting to feel like it might be a blessed relief. Nay, maybe it even excites you, then you should absolutely explore it. Life is too short, and if the choice is excitement over mundanity and resignation to a situation you are not really OK with anymore… well, I know which one I would pick.

By Chris Thomson

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 3 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Learn To Meditate With Neil In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.

2. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Coaching Partnership or Professional Wellbeing Appointment is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil Seligman here.

3. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post Is It Time to Let Go of Your Current Job? appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

Thankfully, in recent years, companies have consciously invested in the happiness of the people who work for them. That’s not to say that many businesses don’t have a long way to go in this regard, but conscious businesses are on the rise for sure.

Why are they doing this? What is the reason for this trend? In many cases, one would hope, it is human decency. Perhaps companies are simply starting to care about the workplace wellbeing of their employees. Who knows. It is also because employees having purpose at work is simply good for business. It makes companies more productive, more profitable, and frankly, nicer places to work.

Let’s expand on why having a sense of purpose, beyond financial gain, at work is crucial.

1.     Motivation

Employees who like working for a business are simply more motivated. If they like their work, like their co-workers, and feel that their values align with the people they are working for, they are likely to work harder for them. They want the business to succeed.

2.     Engagement

If employees are meaningfully engaged with the values and the goals of the company they are working for, they will not only do the job that they are assigned to, but they will often bring their best energy and ideas, and actually add value that is unique to them.

3.     Low Employee Turnover

People who like the job stay in the job for longer. High employee turnover drains resources from your business, wastes productive time on training that could be used for other things, and creates instability in the general ecosystem of the daily running of the business. Ideally, you want people to stay. Also, having a reputation for low employee turnover, and therefore a reputation as somewhere that people want to work, will attract talent. The best people want to work for the best companies that hold their wellbeing as important and will appreciate their skills and experience.

4.     Resilience

When employees feel stable in their work, and feel accomplished, appreciated and clear in their career direction, they are much more able to sustain themselves through rocky patches, both at work and in their own lives. This has a positive impact on their mental health and their ability to bring their best into the workplace, even in comparatively turbulent times.

5.     Loyalty

No matter where an employee is on the ladder of your business, loyalty is useful. You want people working for you who will defend your brand, work to uphold and grow your business, and stick around when sticky periods arise (as they do in every business).

6.     Flexibility

Purpose can be found when the other parts of someone’s life feel looked after. If you, as a conscious employer, can be flexible to the other needs of the people who work for you (family emergencies, working around children, holidays, sickness, etc.), they will be flexible and go the extra mile for you in times of need. I, for example, am very grateful to my employer when I need to extend a deadline or go and pick one of my kids up because they are sick. In return, I am always happy to pay that kindness back by squeezing in an emergency, time-sensitive project, or working the occasional weekend if needs be.

7.     Positive Image

If people associate happy employees with your company out in the world, it simply makes you look good. The people who work for your company will walk about in the world, and have only good things to say about you, and that can only be a positive thing.

By Chris Thomson

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 3 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Learn To Meditate With Neil In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.

2. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Coaching Partnership or Professional Wellbeing Appointment is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil Seligman here.

3. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post Why Purpose is Important at Work appeared first on The Conscious Professional.