Mindfulness for Marketers

As we see an increase in the level at which professionals engage with technology for marketing purposes, we also see a rise in related consequences such as disturbed sleep, less focus at work, increased anxiety and difficulty in relaxing the nervous system. This is especially noticeable in those who aren’t tending to their body and mind.

Mindfulness is about having a sharper brain, being able to remember people’s names, being less reactive, and making sure you are experiencing life’s pleasures. Because you matter.

3 top tips for Mindfulness

1. Just breathe.

Ever feel out of control? When we get so engrossed in our to-do-lists and deadlines, we lose track of the flow of our life. The way we breathe is strongly linked to the way we feel. When we are relaxed we breathe slowly, when we are stressed, we breathe more quickly. In order for your body to run efficiently, there needs to be a balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Do you know how to maintain this? Yes, you guessed it - how deeply we breathe.

Here is a simple breathing practice for improved well-being.

1) Find a comfortable spot – a car or on your bed is fine – sitting, standing, or lying down, with eyes gently closed or a soft gaze in front of you.
2) Take a deep breath in for 4 seconds (through the nose if possible).
3) Hold the breath for 7 seconds
4) Release the breath for 8 seconds (through the mouth if possible) then pause
5) You can say to yourself, I am calm and I relaxed.
6) Repeat for 90 seconds

2. Meditation.

When we give ourselves time to meditate, we give ourselves the opportunity to experience the real benefits mindfulness has to offer, calmer, more focus, better wellbeing and less burnout.

“It’s like having a charger for your whole body and mind. That’s what meditation is.” – Jerry Seinfeld.

If you want to decrease anxiety, meditation can help. This is backed by sound clinical research that shows after 8 weeks of meditating 20 minutes per day, the amygdala (the area in the brain responsible for stress and anxiety) decreases in size. You will notice you are less anxious, reactive and stressed.

Explore a 10 minute guided meditation here:

10 minute guided Meditation for Calming Anxiety

3. Mindful Eating

‘When walking, walk. When eating, eat.’ - Zen proverb

Mindfulness operates on two levels. First, is the meditation, the second involves returning back to basics. Every day more information comes into our lives, more stimulus, more social media and more stuff on our minds. When you reach the point where such overload has taken over the conscious mind, it’s really hard to think your way out of it.

Mindfulness involves taming your autopilot, so you live more in the present moment. We need to learn to close down some of the ‘programs’ that continually run in the back of your mind.

The first place to do this involves returning back to basics. For this reason, one of my favourite activities is mindful eating.

The good news is this skill will gradually show you how to settle your mind and get back on track – in order to live a more mindful life.

Chocolate Mindful activity

1. Physical touch

Take one piece of chocolate and hold in the palm of your hand. What is the weight like? Is it heavy or light?

2. Seeing

Take the time to really look at the chocolate. Does it have any grooves or ridges? Are there any bits of nuts or candy sticking out? Turn it over in between your finger and thumb. What does it look like on the other side?

3. Smelling

Holding it beneath your nose, what do you notice as you breathe in? Does it have a smell? Are there any other flavours you can smell in the chocolate?

4. Tasting

Put the chocolate on your tongue, and gently close your mouth. What does the chocolate taste like? Explore the sensations with your tongue. What is your mouth doing? Is it producing a lot of saliva?

5. Chewing

When you are ready, take a bite into the chocolate and notice the burst of flavours. Notice any taste that releases. Continue slowly chewing it. What is your tongue doing? Is it cleaning your teeth? Exploring the roof of your mouth?

6. Swallowing

Notice the first urgency to swallow the warm chocolate milk. See if you can visualise the warm milk going down the back of your throat, down your oesophagus, into your stomach. Consciously notice a second or third swallow. Notice what the tongue does after you have finished swallowing. Is it cleaning your teeth again?

7. Afterthoughts

Spend a few moments noticing what your mind is doing. Is there an aftertaste? Have you ever experienced eating chocolate like this before?

How often whilst watching a movie have we eaten chocolate and the entire packet has vanished before we even remember tasting one?

Did you notice your experience of eating the chocolate was transformed by the simple act of focusing on it? Many people say “They have never tasted chocolate like that before.”

Mindfulness teaches us to be fully aware. To experience the senses of seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling and touching which too often goes drifting by you unnoticed.

Take a moment, close your eyes…..imagine a life free from stress, free from burnout, free from being busy and free from the burden of too much on your plate.

That’s your life, ready for you by embracing a more mindful life.

Who is Chelsea

Chelsea Pottenger, Director of EQ Consulting Co, is a PhD student of clinical psychology and neuroscience, Internationally Accredited Mindfulness and Meditation practitioner and the Ambassador for R u OK? and The Gidget Foundation. Chelsea works with TOP ASX companies including Westpac, uBer, eBay and Johnson and Johnson. With a social media following @eqminds of 100k people, Chelsea’s passion for the rest of her life is saving people from suicide. Please follow her on Instagram for mental health tips.

Retreat

Being an aligned partner of iknowho, we gift professionals a special price for our luxury retreat on the South Coast, NSW. We are booked out in 2018, however, we are now taking bookings for 2019 if you would like to recharge in a luxury Hampton's style house.

The cost is $1300, however with the discount code below you can attend the retreat for $550 (excluding accommodation)!

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Sunny days ahead!

By Kristina Gerdov • 11 Apr, 2024

When 72andSunny asked us to help them recruit a new Client Services Director to spearhead their next stage of growth, iknowho Lead Talent Partner Sheryn Small got to doing what she does best.

Top Tips for Successful Onboarding

By Kahli Fenn • 27 Mar, 2024

Did you know that approximately 80% of people that start in a role will make the decision of whether they will leave in the first few months?Yikes! Talk about pressure to get it right. It’s like they say, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. So let us help you stand out and set your employee up for success! Onboarding starts before the start date Let’s not make the mistake of thinking that once the contract is signed that the hardest part is over. What comes next is your chance to shine! 1 week before the start date - get in touch with your new recruit to say you’re looking forward to having them join the team. Include where, when, and who to ask for when they arrive. If you don’t have this detail yet, let them know that someone will get in touch a few days before to set them at ease that it’s all organised and under control. Develop a structured induction program and block time in diaries for those involved to ensure that all colleagues have this time allocated and can plan ahead. 1 day before the start date - send them a text message. A simple “Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow!” can help new starters feel welcome and will calm any first day jitters. Ensure you have all tech ready to go, including computer passwords, logins, swipe cards etc. It’s a good idea to have IT on standby too as some sort of technical issue is bound to come up. 2. The first day Ever started a new role and looked around to realise it’s a ghost town? Not a great look. Plan to have them start on a day where the majority of people are working from the office rather than from home - we know that culture is key for marketers, so make sure they experience it at its best from day 1. Energy and vibe play a big part in this. Welcome pack. Include a “surprise and delight” when they first sit down at their desk. This could be a mixture of company branded items (like notebook and pens) to a handwritten card or note from them team welcoming them. You may also like to include some added details like the best places for lunch or coffee in the area. Think about your employer brand and tone of voice and what kind of welcome would best represent your style, after all, that’s what the candidate has bought into. I once started a new role and had 3 x coffee vouchers for the best café around the corner, it’s the little and thoughtful things that leave a lasting impression. Assign them a buddy - usually a colleague in a similar role that they can shadow and ask any questions about process, systems or where the bathrooms are! The line manager may not always be available so having this person helps them feel welcomed, supported and part of a community from the get-go. 3. Employee retention How you engage in the first few months is crucial to employee retention. Just as much as it’s time for the candidate to showcase why you hired them, it’s also time for you to deliver on what you discussed in the interview process too e.g. company culture, values, management style. It’s important to set your employee up for success by setting time-bound expectations and objectives, ensuring you’re both on the same page. Breaking these down by month and structuring regular catch-ups to discuss feedback are a great way to have open conversations around performance. E.g. Expectations from months 1-3 vs 3-6. In the first month, we recommend a daily more casual check-in for junior candidates and at least weekly for more senior candidates. Having these diarised, even if short meetings, are essential to allowing open discussion and ensuring everything in on track. We know finding the right person for the role takes time, money and effort, so ensuring you have a solid onboarding process in place is a crucial element to a successful hire. By investing in a well thought out and purposeful process that reflects your employer brand, you are not only investing in your new employees but also in the long-term success of the company. As your recruitment partner, we’re here to support onboarding new hires into your business to help you get the best outcome. Keen to chat on how we can do that for you? Reach out to one of our Talent Partners to discuss.

the word freelance is written in scrabble tiles next to a keyboard

Could a freelancer be the gift your team needs?

By Christine Gilbert • 29 Nov, 2023

At iknowho we understand how busy both agency and in-house marketing teams are in the lead up to Christmas. There are many benefits of using short term freelancers, so let’s explore how they can be a valuable addition to your team through the busy Christmas / New Year period. Short term freelancers offer your team: Flexibility Short term freelancers are available and can usually start within a week. Whether you need a specialist for a short-term campaign or additional support during busy periods, freelancers offer the flexibility and agility needed to meet rapidly changing workloads & high project timelines. They give you the flexibility to hire talent on-demand without the commitment of a long term employment contract (and using our payroll services can help you get around head count issues too!). The skills you need You know the exact projects a short term freelancer will work on, allowing you to hire someone with the specific experience / skills needed complete the tasks at hand. Diverse Experience & Energy Many agency suits and marketers build a career through freelancing. Their diverse experience working with different businesses results in freelancers having a fresh perspective & injecting fresh energy into the team. Competitive Rates iknowho freelancers are paid a day rate which includes a loading for leave entitlements. There are no upfront fees, you only pay for the days they work. And we can also offer payroll services if needed. Download our salary guide for day rate equivalents, or use our day rate calculator here . They hit the ground running With experience in similar positions, freelancers join your team with a fresh perspective and focus on delivering specific tasks. Their ability to hit the ground running and work independently also frees up your time! Although permanent hiring traditionally slows down this time of year, the use of short term freelancers usually picks up. Our clients commonly use short term freelancers to: Deliver high volume work in a short timeframe Cover staff holidays Get around head count freezes Manage ad hoc projects outside their teams’ usual scope of work or current capabilities So, whether you are looking for an AM with integrated experience, a SAM with CRM and social skills, an integrated campaign manager, digital marketer, or even a more senior suit to support team leadership and manage senior clients? We’ve got you covered! Reach out to one of our experienced Talent Partners to discuss your needs today.