A brief reflective practice can give an executive a chance to notice where attention has gone before the next demand arrives. That can be useful without promising that meditation will repair judgment or produce a particular brain change.
The practice should fit the person and the working situation.
Begin with a manageable interval
Choose a few minutes when you can sit or walk without another task. Attend to an ordinary point of focus, such as breathing or the sensations of walking. When attention moves, notice it and return without turning the exercise into another performance test.
Some people prefer journaling or quiet reflection. The important question is what the practice is intended to support and whether it is manageable enough to repeat.
Connect reflection to a behavior
Before a difficult conversation, identify the reaction you want to notice. Afterward, consider whether you noticed it and whether that changed what you did.
Research on contemplative practices varies in methods, populations and outcomes. A useful personal experience should not be presented as proof of a universal executive benefit.
The practice also cannot compensate for an organization that continually removes sleep or makes every issue urgent. Address those demands directly.
If a practice causes distress, stop and seek appropriate guidance. Reflection should provide a workable way to observe experience, rather than another obligation the executive feels required to perform correctly.
