Begin again: Meditation and problem-solving in the workplace

My meditation practice is inconsistent and unsophisticated.  I returned to a few short sessions recently to calm my mind.  

 While I remember only bits of advice from teachers and books, I do hold one guide close by:   when thoughts intrude to break concentration on breathing, begin again.  

Striving for calm and yearning for perfect concentration is not the point, just bring awareness to the thoughts that arise and begin again to focus on the breath. Each time thoughts intrude, there is an opportunity to practice bringing awareness to the intrusion.  The more intrusions, the more opportunities to practice being aware of thoughts and feelings.   

A welcoming attitude in meditation aligns with a welcoming attitude in the workplace, where problems arise every day.   The more problems, the more opportunities to practice problem-solving.

Workplace problems are the gaps between actual and expected performance of the product or service or the gaps between the actual and expected process and operations that are used to make that product or service.   

Problem-solving starts with awareness of the problem.   Then, the Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle offers a way forward:  plan a change to close the gap, try the change, study the impact of the change, and act to modify the change, adopt the change as regular practice or abandon the change and search for a new idea. 

Welcoming a problem means that we recognize an opportunity to close the gap between actual and expected outcomes, processes, and operations.  We also have an opportunity to learn how the work should unfold.  A welcomed problem, seen as part of ‘a mountain of treasure’ as I was taught 35 years ago, might reduce feelings of shame or anxiety that get in the way of creative solutions.

It helps meditators and problem-solvers alike to practice without too many distractions and challenges.   For meditators, turn off the podcast, shut off the screen, find a quiet place.   For problem-solvers, find a bit of dedicated time, limit interruptions, focus on just one problem at a time.  An organized workplace cuts down the physical and mental clutter and makes it safer and easier to solve problems. 

As meditators build skill and capacity, we can focus attention and bring awareness to feelings and thoughts that arise in more and more challenging situations, not just in a quiet room.   As problem-solvers build skill and capacity, we can focus attention and identify changes to test in more and more challenging situations, not just problems of our own choosing on our own schedule.