I asked the focus group of experts what barriers would have to be considered when supporting entrepreneurs to see the potential value of mindfulness. Here’s what they said.
Some Entrepreneurs Don’t See it as a Priority
Entrepreneur Carl said many entrepreneurs don’t see mindfulness as being important. “ Their perception is they are too busy or too focused on cost savings to recognise the opportunity investment in development can bring. Real and tangible results I find tend to interest business owners.”
It May Be Seen as a Burden
Carl adds that being mindful and prosocial is often viewed as a burden. “ I think it is an opportunity and to encourage people, if they are going to be mindful or social, get them to recognise it is an opportunity not a burden.”
Some People Are Generally Not In Support Of Mindfulness
Some entrepreneurs won’t be in support of the idea of mindfulness, says business adviser Sharon. “ Though the entrepreneurs we see tend to be quite aware of mindfulness so I would say the barrier is that it is being broken down socially more widely. There is more awareness those are the minimum standards now, and the benefits of these things in terms of being able to keep going for longer, with a sense of purpose and actually being fulfilled in what you do…and yes the economic benefits that brings to how you operate and the creation of value more widely.”
There’s A Stigma Associated Due To The Connection With Mental Health
Entrepreneur Ali feels mindfulness brings with it a stigma, due to its association with mental health. “ Mindfulness is relatively new and has been used as an aid to deal with mental health problems, so there is a stigma. The association is that it’s used to help prevent people from falling apart.”
Business adviser Sharon adds that putting mindfulness in context is also important. “ There are different contexts. What does mindfulness mean in a business context? What does mindfulness mean personally? The definitions are huge, it is subjective in a way.”
There’s A Lack Of Understanding About Mindfulness
Alex, from a business support organisation, thinks there’s a lack of understanding around mindfulness. “ Do you think people understand what mindfulness is though? Because I think it is a word that is bandied around a lot, especially by celebrities, they think they are being mindful -but are they? What does it actually mean? Therefore, there needs to be a greater understanding of what it is because it can easily become something it is not. We need to understand what it is before we can help anyone. We need a clearer definition.”
There’s A Perception Of There Being Gender Stereotypes
Business adviser Sharon feels there are gender stereotypes when it comes to practicing mindfulness. “ The mindfulness stuff is seen as not what a ‘real man’ does. …I don’t mind mindfulness, I actually quite enjoy it, I think it works, I think it has benefits.”
Effort Is Required To Introduce Mindfulness
Business network leader Scott feels that the fact effort is need to introduce mindfulness is a potential barrier. “ What about the effort involved? Lots of businesses are under pressure and time is a scarce commodity for some people, and this pressure to be mindful about everything that is happening within your organisation dos stake a certain amount of effort.”