Need An Antidote To Mindlessness? with Ellen Langer

Ellen Langer is a Harvard psychology professor and the director of the Langer Mindfulness Institute.  She has been described as “The Mother of Mindfulness” and has authored 11 books and more than 200 articles. Her work has influenced two decades of research in positive psychology.  

In this conversation, you will hear Ellen share why mindfulness doesn’t require you to sit in hours of meditation.  She explains the benefits she has found over 40 years of research for the practice of mindfulness in workplaces and what leaders can do practically to be more mindful and how they can help the people they lead to do the same. 

Connect with Ellen Langer:

Websites:

• EllenLanger.com
• LangerMindfulnessInstitute.com

You’ll Learn:

• [01:30] – Ellen explains why “mindfulness” as the process of noticing new things.
• [02:15] – Ellen lists some benefits of mindfulness in workplaces.
• [06:07] – Ellen talks about the practical ways leads can be more mindful.  
• [08:35] – Ellen provides an example of a mindful company that turned a failed product into a successful product.
• [11:58] – Ellen shares how we can approach the same task differently, depending on our perception of that task and the impact this can have on our performance.
• [13:53] – Ellen explains the simple changes we can each make to be more mindful.
• [18:15] – Ellen shares the benefits she’s found of having happier workplaces
• [18:55] – Ellen talks about the impact mindfulness can have on our health.

Your Resources:

• The Art of Noticing – Ellen J Langer
• The Dinner Party: Stories – Joshua Ferris
• Making It Work cheat-sheet

Thanks for listening!

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Special thanks to Ellen for joining me this week. Until next time, take care!