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We recognise that during a busy workday, it is often a low priority to look after ourselves and our minds. By practicing mindfulness and getting into a healthy routine, we can shift this mindset and learn how to become mindful at work and at home too.

Our specialist staff psychological wellbeing and mindfulness practitioner, Karen, delivers many different mindfulness sessions that may be helpful to you.

Take a look at our hand-picked mindfulness resources filled with amazing apps, books, YouTube meditations, and more!

Mindfulness Resources PDF 488KB - Apps, Books, Podcasts, and more!

 

Why does mindfulness matter?

When we practice mindfulness, we start to pay attention to our thoughts and feelings, and how we are reacting to them. Mindfulness isn’t about trying to change these thoughts; it is about recognising them for what they are and allowing them to come and go while we remain calm and focus on our breathing.

Mindfulness can often be difficult for some people, especially if they are experiencing low mood or high levels of stress. However, the more we practice mindfulness, the easier it becomes. Mindfulness can also help improve our mental and physical wellbeing.

 

Mindfulness Audio Meditations

by Mindfulness Practitioner Karen.

25 Minute Body Scan:  https://youtu.be/KTEJgcVOyMA

This 25-minute body scan is one of the foundational practices of mindfulness meditation. It is suitable for practicing meditators or newcomers to mindfulness and meditation. It can be done lying down or sitting in an upright chair. Please note that you will need to play two external videos during the session from YouTube. These have been provided for you below.
First video - (play at 8 minutes 28 seconds) - The Scientific Power of Meditation (youtube.com)
Second video - (play at 16 minutes 44 seconds) - Why Mindfulness Is a Superpower: An Animation (youtube.com)

25 Minute Sitting Practice: https://youtu.be/z6CZW1XeIkE

This 25-minute sitting practice is a key practice in 6 and 8-week courses. It helps to open awareness to the breath, body, sounds, and thoughts and practice holding all of these in awareness with a sense of steadiness and stepping back. This practice is suitable for people who are new to mindfulness as well as participants who have completed one of our mindfulness courses with NUH.

 

Mindfulness for the Menopause Session

This session will guide you through how to be more mindful during your menopause and how to use mindfulness to cope with your symptoms.

Mindfulness for Menopause: https://youtu.be/rLRQXsyo7mU

 

Mindfulness Drop-in Sessions are open to all!

There is no need to apply, and everyone is welcome to join, whether you are an experienced meditator or new to meditation.

All you need to do is log into the meeting a few minutes before the start of the session, and the mindfulness teacher will be waiting to greet you.

The session lasts for 15 minutes and is an opportunity to practice meditation together. There is no obligation to do or say anything; simply turn up and be guided through a practice.

You are welcome to join regularly or just from time to time. If you are new to mindfulness, it can be helpful to join the sessions a few times before deciding whether you find them helpful.

Every week:

 

What mindfulness sessions do we currently offer?

Mindfuless Now Course

Have you ever found yourself running on autopilot, not knowing how you got somewhere or who ate that whole bag of crisps?  Are you interested in unhooking from those unhelpful thoughts, feelings, and behaviours that get in the way of you living your best life?

This 8-week mindfulness course helps us step back from those automatic, habitual ways of responding to our internal and external worlds and start experiencing new ways of being with our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.

This course is run by our clinical psychology and mindfulness staff and runs for 8 consecutive weeks, with an optional half-day gift retreat at the end. 

For more information and to request a referral form, please email staffwellbeing@nuh.nhs.uk

*All participants will have a brief ‘intake’ session with one of the facilitators prior to the course starting to explain the course and make sure that it meets your requirements.

 

Mindful Life-Well at Work: An opporutnity to participate in research.

What is Mindful Life-Well at Work?

A multi-site trial open for participation to healthcare, social care and teaching staff accessing staff integrated healthcare and wellbeing resources through participating Trusts. You will be randomly assigned to recieve an online mindfulness-based cognitive therapy OR stress-reduction psychoeducation theraputic progamme, both intended to reduce stress and enhance overall wellbeing; your input will help improve staff wellbeing resources offered through UK Trusts.

What is mindfulness-based cognitive therapy?

It involves mindfulness practices and cognitive behavioural exercises that can enhance wellbeing and flourishing in everyday life. It is suitable for anyone who wants to enhance their wellbeing . The course introduces participants to mindfulness and meditation and encourages participants to cultivate attitudes of interest and friendliness towards experience whether it is pleasant or unpleasant. The course teaches skills for keeping our balance through life’s up and downs and respond skilfully when difficulties arise, opening more to moments of joy contentment and gratitude.

What is stress-reduction psychoeducation theraputic programme?

SRP interventions employ behavioural techniques to train an individual to combat the negative consequences of stress by engaging in relaxation practices and wellbeing goal setting. Weekly session themes will involve teaching around stress management aspects as well as guided meditation/ relaxation practices and group discussions around the taught content and people’s experience. There will be 1-2 trained therapists delivering these sessions and they will guide you through what is required per session at the appropriate time.

What would taking part involve besides attending the programme?

Completing an online survey (30-45 mins) about your stress levels and other wellbeing & work related aspects at 4 timepoints across 20 weeks; and an optional online interview (30-45 mins) about your programme experience at 20 weeks post programme completion. Recieving a £15 gift voucher as inconvenience allowance, seperately for completing (a) the survey and (b) the interview.

To take part in the study, follow the link: https://rb.gy/mfp3g

If you have any questions for the research staff, please email: well-at-work@nottingham.ac.uk

 

Referral

Referral is through self-referral through the application via the link found above. Staff are asked to fill out a eligibility critiera before participating in the research study.

Staff may not be eligible for the research if they:

  • Are attending or have arranged attendance for any other psychological therapy or wellbeing programme within or outside of work in next 3 months.
  • Have experienced any significant life events that are causing significant distress to you at the current time (for example, a serious accident, etc.).
  • Are not currently mentally well, such as having a diagnosis of a mental health condition, and are in an acute to severe state (such as a mental illness like generalised anxiety or depression, diagnosed by your GP or a mental health specialist). You may still qualify if you have a mental health condition and are currently well.

 

Managers support to access the study

For staff to access this study, we encourage staff to discuss with their managers, and the managers to provide support in terms of time to attend and reasonable adjustment with shifts, accessing a room, or doing the study from home (and then claiming the time back). We have had many staff sign up for the sessions and then are not released to attend or cannot find a room to attend the sessions. We also have staff who attend and are then called back into clinical work during the sessions. We hope getting manager support will result in this being considered and problems solved prior to the first session starting.