“In stressful situations, mindfulness has helped me manage my own emotions and I am now open to resolving challenges differently.” — UBC Mindfulness Challenge Participant
“When I was in an emotionally charged meeting, I was able to notice, acknowledge and manage my own emotions more effectively as a result of the practice.” — UBC Mindfulness Challenge Participant
Since it was first offered in February 2016, more than 700 UBC employees have participated in our Mindfulness Challenges. Registration is now open at the Vancouver and Okanagan campuses for the 30-Day Online Mindfulness Challenge. The Vancouver campus is also offering a six-week, in-person Mindfulness@Work program to educate and bring the benefits of mindfulness to UBC staff and faculty.
30-Day Online Mindfulness Challenge (February 19 – March 20, 2018)
Could your department benefit from a team-building activity? Join the many individuals and teams who have collectively taken part in the Challenge and found it to be a perfect opportunity to practice mindfulness alongside their colleagues. Participants reported being healthier, more productive and better able to problem-solve and work in a team. Check out UBC Sauder’s Development & Alumni Engagement team’s experience with the Challenge.
This innovative and evidence-based training is aimed at UBC staff and faculty looking to incorporate mindfulness into the workplace and in their everyday lives. Content is delivered via any device, and focuses on simple yet powerful and achievable learning objectives.
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You can expect:
- 10 minutes per day of mindfulness training for 30 days
- Expert-led and evidence-based programming
- Online platform that can be used anywhere
- Free to join and includes participation of a buddy or colleague of your choice
- Open to all staff and faculty (Vancouver & Okanagan campuses)
- No cost – this is a free program
Find out more:
- View the MindWellU orientation webinar
- Take a look at the orientation video of the online dashboard
- Learn more about the 30-Day Challenge at the Vancouver campus
30-Day Challenge Registration:
UBC staff and faculty can register now for the 30-Day Online Challenge.
“While lecturing, I encountered some technical difficulties and by using mindfulness, I was able to remain calm and resolve the issues to resume the lecture.” — UBC Mindfulness Challenge Participant
Mindfulness@Work Program (April 5 – May 10, 2018)
The six-week, in-person Mindfulness@Work training program runs in the spring of 2018. If you are looking for more in-depth mindfulness training, Mindfulness@Work specifically focuses on integrating the practice of mindfulness in the workplace to promote effectiveness, teamwork and communication.
Spring 2018 Program at the Diamond Health Care Centre
Thursdays, 9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
April 5, 12, 19, 26 and May 3, 10
Retreat (mandatory): Saturday, April 28
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
About the program:
- Delivers expert-led and evidence-based programming
- Content is delivered and classes are led by a mindfulness expert
- Learn and practice meditation and core Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
How it works:
- Six-week, in-person training in a group/class setting
- Must attend all classes including the one-day weekend retreat
- Practice daily home assignments for 15-30 minutes a day
- $100 per person (may be eligible for professional development funding)
Key impact areas:
- Reduces stress and improves resiliency
- Cultivates physical and mental health
- Promotes effectiveness, teamwork, and communication
- Develop a meditation practice
Mindfulness@Work Registration:
- Register online using this UBC Vancouver staff and faculty link.
- Submit the $100 registration fee (cash or cheque payable to UBC Human Resources, or journal voucher to KPGK) to:
Melissa Lafrance
Health & Wellbeing Associate
UBC Human Resources
600 – 6190 Agronomy Road
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3
- Most staff and faculty members have the option to access one of UBC’s professional development funding programs. Find out more about the reimbursement procedures.
“[I] participated with a colleague in my office and it was really helpful. We kept each other accountable and understood the impact of the Take 5 practice and chatted about the key learnings.” — UBC Mindfulness Challenge Participant
About UBC Mindfulness Programs:
Studies show that our minds wander 46.5% of the time.* There has been a tremendous amount of research over the past 20 years that demonstrates the benefits of mindfulness for physical and mental wellbeing.
Mindfulness is mental exercise for disrupting the wandering or day-dreaming mind and bringing it back to the present, something that becomes stronger with practice. When we dwell on the past and worry about the future, we become more reactive. When we remain in the present moment, we can make decisions clearly and be more attentive. By learning to be more mindful, we can pay attention with a sense of openness and non-judgment.
Benefits of Mindfulness **
| Physical Health | Mental Health | Workplace Benefits |
| Improves overall health and wellbeing | Increases sense of joy and contentment | Improves focus concentration |
| Improves sleep | Reduces and lessens symptoms of depression | Enhances performance |
| Reduces chronic pain | Reduces substance abuse | Elevates collaboration and creativity |
| Lowers blood pressure | Reduces stress and anxiety | Reduces conflict |
After completing a UBC Mindfulness Challenge, past participants were more confident in their ability to manage stress in the workplace, spring back from setbacks, and resolve interpersonal conflicts in the workplace. The top three most common achievements were learned new skills, increased ability to manage emotions, and reduced stress levels.
UBC was also involved in a research collaboration to study the effectiveness of the Mindfulness Challenge. Find out more about a larger study on mindfulness intervention in the workplace.
“[I] developed resilience skills and the ability to be less judgmental with colleagues with difficult personalities.” — UBC Mindfulness Challenge Participant
“I had multiple competing tasks and my mind was racing and unfocused. Taking a mindful approach, I efficiently focused on one task at a time through to completion.” — UBC Mindfulness Challenge Participant
Photo credit: Melissa Lafrance
* Killingsworth MA, Gilbert DT. A Wandering Mind Is an Unhappy Mind. Science 12 November 2010: Vol. 330. no. 6006, p. 932
** Aikens, K. A., et al. (2014). Mindfulness goes to work: Impact of an online workplace intervention. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 56(7), 721-731.
Dane, E., & Brummel, B. J. (2014). Examining workplace mindfulness and its relations to job performance and turnover intention. Human Relations, 67(1), 105-128.
Glomb, T. M. (2011). Null: Research in personnel and human resources management mindfulness at work, 115.
Good, D. J., et al. (2016). Contemplating mindfulness at work: An integrative review. Journal of Management, 42(1), 114-142.