The document discusses the benefits of meditation for business and well-being. It notes that meditation can increase focus and problem-solving abilities while decreasing stress, anxiety, and sleep needs. Regular meditation has been shown to alter brain chemistry in ways that stabilize mood, boost serotonin and melatonin, and reduce stress hormones. While meditation has faced misconceptions, regular practice of even 10-15 minutes per day can significantly improve mental and physical health in ways that enhance business performance.

1. Meditation for Business
& Well-Being
by Connor Bergeron

2. “I will meditate 2-4 hours a day. People ask, “how do
you have that much time to do that?” What's funny is,
how much more time I have because I do that! First of
all, it raises my inner bar of things I'll take on. So
suddenly it feels like I don't have all these things I have
to fix anymore…
Usually what we do is we immediately we put ourselves
into a place of lack by going onto Facebook. Who wrote
on my wall, that completes me... We now suddenly
have a to-do list, versus actually understanding what in
me thinks I need to check my wall that much to be
happy... And so I sit, and I just chill.
...I just pay attention. I don’t do any Buddhist-y thing
or have my fingers in a thing… meditation, which is
literally just chilling, it’s just relaxing- but we see it as
an assignment!”
“Kyle Cease,” You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes. November 12, 2014

3. Introduction
Meditation is the art of personal attunement,
bringing benefits to the mind and body, all of
which can make their way into your
productivity! There are hundreds of scientific
studies to support these benefits- not just
Californian hippies proclaiming its
effectiveness.

4. "Open Monitoring Meditation:”
thoughts and sensations are
simply observed rather than held
and focused on.
Through this specific practice,
divergent thinking and convergent
thinking (idea generation and problem-solving)
increase, and increase in
effectiveness
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120419102317.htm

5. There has also been studies
suggesting 10 minutes of
meditation timed after an activity
improves overall performance of
tasks, and decreases sleep need.
Even with 'amatuer' meditators.
When meditating for an hour,
meditators began sleeping less.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2919439/

6. Meditation releases stress, perfect for
anxiety, depression, unproductive
thoughts, and other mood issues.
With anxiety, it can be difficult to
distinguish a productive thought vs. a
thought with too much power.
Mindfulness and meditation helps these
issues- meditation and an anger
management course can bring great
results for those with a temper!
http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/mindfulness-meditation-may-ease-anxiety-mental-stress-201401086967

7. Meditation alters your body chemistry.
It may cause:
1) Gamma aminobutyric acid
(GABA) increase, known to
stabilize mood disorders like
anxiety, tension, insomnia, and
epilepsy
2) Melatonin increase, a powerful
antioxidant and sleep aid
3) Serotonin increase; depleted
serotonin is directly linked to
depression, obesity, insomnia,
narcolepsy, sleep apnea, migraine
headaches, premenstrual
syndrome, and fibromyalgia
4) Cortisol decreases. This is an age
accelerant in the bloodstream that
has been found to contribute to a
wide variety of health issues- it is
the only hormone that we try to
reduce for the general population.
5) Dehydroepiandrosterone
increases; low levels puts you at
risk for heart attack, diabetes,
cancer, osteoporosis, rheumatoid
arthritis, obesity, and chronic
fatigue. It helps alleviate
depression, and supports your
immune system.
http://eocinstitute.org/meditation/dhea_gaba_cortisol_hgh_melatonin_serotonin_endorphins/

8. Meditation has many misconceptions and
misuses, which may deter people from
practicing.
Cults have used it for indoctrination and
brainwashing, and there are a multitude of
classes teaching specialized methods
taking from your wallet.
There is also a stigma around meditation
for individuals, as it seems to take out
valuable time from your day, they feel
incapable of quieting their minds, or they
just aren’t ready for it (a worldly life or self-destructive
tendencies can hinder interest
in meditation)

9. However…
While time may be of the essence,
meditation only asks for a minimum of 10 to
15 minutes of your day.
The notion of, “I don’t think I’m capable” is
only a limitation of the mind, and meditation
is so easy that there are no classes
required to become a practitioner.

10. Conclusion
Meditation has definitely been a proven practice for
thousands of years and for good reason.
Meditation is now being medically proven to have
many positive effects on an individual, which I feel
many people neglect...
The mind has full control of our being; therefore,
having a peaceful mind reflects onto the body and
radiates outward on to others. The better you are
personally, the better you are in business!

11. “Meditation is not a way of
making your mind quiet. It is a
way of entering into the quiet
that is already there -buried
under the 50,000 thoughts the
average person thinks every
day.”
Deepak Chopra
Cristina Guitan/Illustration