Mindfulness in Westminster – Reflections from UK Politicians

Introduction

In 2023, the Mindfulness Initiative which provides the secretariat to the Mindfulness All-Party Parliamentary Group, released  a report on the outcomes of a course of mindfulness classes within UK Government. Prior to this report, over 300 Members of the House of Commons and House of Lords, as well as around 800 staff members, had voluntarily taken part in mindfulness courses or classes run in Westminster.

Studies indicate that parliamentarians from the UK House of Commons demonstrate a higher prevalence of mental health problems than the UK population as a whole (Weinberg, 2017). This can perhaps be attributed to being in the public eye and media and receiving threats, as well as to a working week of sometimes 70 hours.

Results of the study

The study recorded numerous benefits and including enhanced listening skills and focus, leading to greater efficiency and better-informed decision making.

Participants also experienced improved interpersonal relations, enhanced leadership skills and a greater willingness to forgive and to retaliate less.

Additionally participants developed better conflict resolution skills and the ability to take a more considered position in challenging situations, rather than reacting impulsively.

Increased willingness to try to understand differences of opinion from another person’s perspective also developed, leading to more inclination to try to find some common ground and avoid a failure to co-operate on complex, urgent issues that require a collective approach.

Overall the study found that mindfulness practice boosted performance and strengthened resilience.

Importance of a group setting

Practising mindfulness and sharing their experiences within a group seemed to foster an environment in which politicians took a kinder and more human approach to each other, regardless of political alliance.

They felt that learning in a group situation offered them a certain sense of psychological safety and the realisation that human commonality exists, leading to a feeling of support which continued between sessions. Participants also felt more motivated to continue within a group setting.

The mindfulness at work project has encouraged many in parliament to stand up and be open with their mental health issues, which is vitally important to everyone who feels challenges in these areas, not just politicians.

According to this report, politicians regarded the weekly drop-in class as a respite from their daily and weekly work lives, making them feel stronger and more hopeful afterwards.

Neuroscience

Dorjee (2018) suggests that the structure of our brain and nervous system is not fixed at birth, and can be changed throughout our lives through altering our habits. One way to achieve this is through mindfulness practice, which can improve cognitive and emotional processes for greater wellbeing and happiness.

Evidence also suggests that meditation can improve our brains in terms of increased attention, self-awareness, emotional regulation, pain tolerance, compassion, respect and thoughtfulness towards others in terms of the impact of your own behaviour, to name just a few areas. It has also been shown that a regular mindfulness practice can cause areas of the brain responsible for anxiety, stress and impulsivity to shrink.

Other organisations that use workplace mindfulness training:

Google

Apple

AstraZeneca

Goldman Sachs

Bosch

JLR (formerly Jaguar Land Rover)

HSBC and other banks

Media companies

Law firms

Accountancy firms

The police

The military including the US Marine Corps

Recommendations

From the evidence of this report, at Mindfuel, we recommend that workplace mindfulness training be introduced to companies both as a preventative strategy and as a positive development tool.

Final thought

If mindfulness is trusted by the UK Government, imagine what it could do for your business. Curious? Book an initial conversation here…

References

Dorjee, D. (2018) Neuroscience and Psychology of Meditation in Everyday Life: Searching for the Essence of Mind. Abingdon: Routledge.

Mindfulness in Westminster. Reflections from UK Politicians. The Mindfulness Initiative (2023)

Tang YY, Hölzel BK, Posner MI. (2015) ‘The neuroscience of mindfulness meditation’, Nat Rev Neurosci, 16(4), pp. 213-25.

Weinberg, A. (2017). The mental health of politicians. Palgrave Communications. 3(1), 1–4

(https://www.themindfulnessinitiative.org)