Mindfulness At Work In Hospitality & Tourism
First things first – I want to give you the opportunity to practice what I am about to preach by offering the space for a mindful moment.
Take a deep breath for 4 seconds – I mean really deep – feel your belly expand. Hold for 4 seconds. Exhale for 6 seconds. Repeat 3 times. CONGRATULATIONS! You’ve just calmed your nervous system and I am about to tell you why we should do that way more often!
I am certain I am not alone in feeling like “mindfulness” has been a real buzzword of the last few years. Meditation – or the means to get to a state of mindfulness – often comes up when the powerhouse CEO’s and celebrities of our time are asked how they start their day. It was enough to make me haphazardly take up a meditation every so often, but not enough to make a true habit. When I’d carve out the 10 minutes to listen to a guided meditation on my lunch break, it felt nice to close my eyes, focus on the present, and allow myself a mental break, and afterwards I felt clear-headed and rejuvenated heading back into my workday. I wish I could say the immediate positive result helped me make it more of a regular occurrence, but it was not until I became a mother and experienced the stress and sleeplessness that accompany new parenthood, that I was finally able to stick to – and reap the benefits of – a mindfulness practice. Now my hope is that I not only take this practice with me into my work in hospitality, but also that others might be inspired to go on this journey, too.
I do not need to tell anyone who works in the recreation, tourism, or the hospitality industry that it is one of the most stressful jobs you can do. We have an unfiltered and unfettered relationship with the public, who we are supposed to be graciously hosting and providing memorable and happy experiences. I am certain that every one of us has had stressful and intense interactions that can stay with you long after you clock out for the day. In my own line of work in catering sales, I could meet an overjoyed couple booking their fairytale wedding venue in the morning and receive a tearful phone call from a recently widowed spouse planning a funeral in the afternoon – with a hundred internal and external interactions in between. The enjoyment of the peaks and the fight through the valleys of this line of work are what energizes so many of us, but it also leads to stress, fatigue, burnout, and in some cases serious mental health and substance abuse issues. In a job where we are tasked with anticipating and addressing the needs of our guests, we need to be calm, collected, compassionate, and creative ourselves – but how can we pour from an empty cup? If our cup is empty, how do we fill it and refill it again? Could mindfulness practice be the answer?
“Mindfulness allows you to experience your life in the present without ruminating about what just happened, what should have happened, what almost happened,” says neuroscientist Sam Harris, a New York Times bestselling author and the creator of the Waking Up meditation course for beginners. “It is the ability to pay attention to what actually matters.” I believe this skill is especially important to those in our industry, where we are not only supposed to handle our own thoughts and feelings, but those of an entire hotel, restaurant, or venue, too. In the chaotic moment (sometimes hours) of our job, it can be very difficult to “stay present” – which is where we foster the calmness, empathy, and creativity we need to do our jobs well. As renowned author and founder of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Clinic, Jon Kabat-Zinn has said, “You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf”. On my own mindfulness journey using Harris’ Waking Up meditation app, I resonated with his similar analogy comparing our minds to swimming versus surfing in a treacherous ocean. Sometimes our thoughts can feel like they are overwhelming and uncontrollable, like when a burst of waves takes you under and you cannot get out from underneath the surge. Being mindful gives you the skills and the mechanisms to grab a surfboard and ride above those waves of thought, instead of having those waves ride you. In other words, prioritizing moments of mindfulness for yourself helps you approach a situation, particularly a stressful one, from a grounded intention rather than a reaction.
Practically speaking, you may be wondering how you can get to this level of mindfulness where it becomes a habit of living in the present, not just a 10-minute exercise of sitting in silence. I will be the first to admit that it is not natural or easy to adapt your mind to this new way of being, but it truly is a practice. The more you engage your mind on a daily basis in a meditation, the more you will see that attitude manifested in your daily life. I have realized that I am at my most content when I am focused on the present – not when I am rehashing the same difficult conversation I had with a coworker, or when I am imagining how a client might react to bad news (neither of which are actually helpful to me or anyone else), but when I take a deep breath, acknowledge my thoughts for what they are—just thoughts—rather than identifying with them, and proceed knowing I am grounded in my values and acting with intention.
I want to share resources that I found to be helpful on this journey towards contentment. Take advantage of free trials of different apps and see what appeals to you.
Waking Up – This is the meditation app I have used almost daily for a year and have found the updated Daily Meditations incredibly helpful. Sam Harris has a fantastic introductory course that can help set a daily habit and adds an intellectual element with podcast-style interviews and lessons included. The annual cost is $100 USD/year or $15 USD/month after a free trial, but also offers a “Free Subscription Grant” if you’re unable to afford it.
Headspace – Another fantastic, very visual app (and Netflix show) that was my first introduction to guided meditation and was the first to market in the meditation app world, revolutionizing mindfulness and accessibility in the digital age. Personally, I love Headspace for the Sleepcasts which are like grown up bedtime stories that help calm your mind. My husband and I started using these when we were in that “tired but wired” stage of new parenthood, but now it’s become a part of our nightly routine. It can be so helpful when your mind is not ready for rest and it’s easy to get caught up in anxious thoughts or turn to screen time (which studies show does not help with restful sleep). Headspace also incorporates mindful workouts and specific meditations for anxiety, anger, financial stress, and many more situations you may encounter during your day. The hospitality and tourism industry is catching on – in addition to partnerships with airlines including Canada’s own WestJet and Air Canada, in 2020 Hyatt Hotels partnered with Headspace to bring mindfulness experiences and meditation to guests, meetings & events, and their employees. After a free trial, Headspace subscriptions are $89.99CAD/year or $17.00CAD/month.
Insight Timer – Insight Timer offers over 90K guided meditations and yoga instruction with no subscription fee. It’s perfect for anyone interested in experiencing different types of meditations. I love the search feature that can give you access to very specific types of mindfulness exercises – say you are dealing with back pain or going for a run, you can easily find a meditation or even a multi-session course that can address your issue or work within your schedule. Insight Timer has literally thousands of instructors on its platform, and while that leads to an overwhelming number of choices, it also allows you to find a guide whose energy, content, and even voice appeals to you. While there is some content Insight Timer charges you to use, the vast majority of the app is totally free so there’s no risk in giving it a try.
Deep breathing exercises can be a great intro and companion to meditation. Did you know that the average person only engages 10% of their diaphragm when breathing? Our breathing can affect us at a cellular level, and studies are showing that shallow breathing (the kind of breathing 90% of us are doing) can put strain on our hearts and keep us in a state of low-grade stress. Deep breathing increases the amount of oxygen we take in and is shown to reduce our bodies stress response. James Nestors’ book Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art really opened my eyes to the potential and the benefits of deep breathwork. The best part is – every human has a set of lungs that are completely free to use!
There are lots of guided meditation apps and books out there that I have not used, but check out this list of app comparisons or this YAM magazine article that dives into in-person and group mindfulness training.
Bottom Line – there are so many ways to live a more mindful life that keeps you centered and focused on your values by incorporating mediation practice, so find what works for you!
We don’t have to check these practices at the office door. Leaders in positions of power can run meetings and set the culture in the workplace to prioritize mental health and incorporate mindfulness into their employees’ day. Start a meeting with a breathing exercise or short meditation. Encourage your team to take a mental health break. Create a physical space where your associates can take a micro-break to recollect and reset. I also hope those not in leadership positions, especially those on the frontlines of our industry, can feel empowered to advocate for their own mental health and set themselves up for success in their day. Data proves the effectiveness of mindfulness practice inside and outside of the workday in preventing burnout and increasing productivity and job satisfaction. Leaders would be foolish to ignore these benefits and associates would be justified in advocating for the time and space to practice mindfulness in their own way. Even a minute spent with eyes closed, tuning into our breath and our body, and bringing focus to the present can make an impact. So start slow, test different tools and find your own daily practice that works best for you.
ABOUT Cassandra Agate
Cassandra Agate has worked in hospitality for over 15 years, starting her professional career with Marriott International after graduating with a dual Marketing & Hospitality Tourism Management degree from James Madison University in Virginia. Her path in group & catering sales has taken her from DC to Philadelphia to her current home in Victoria where she is both the Senior Catering Sales Executive for the beautiful Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort and parent to a one-year old daughter and dog with her husband.