Transcription:

Bill Klaproth (Host):  In a time of crisis, it’s important for leaders to care for themselves so they can support their team. Mindfulness, is one tool that can help equip people during challenging situations. The American Organization for Nursing Leadership welcomes Dr. Teri Pipe, Arizona State University’s Chief Wellbeing Officer and Founding Director of ASU’s Center for Mindfulness, Compassion and Resilience. Dr. Pipe will discuss how mindfulness can help leaders and frontline nurses face the challenges of caring in a crisis. Dr. Pipe, thank you so much for your time. So, to start us off, can you explain to us what is mindfulness?

Teri Pipe, PhD, RN (Guest):  Yes. So, thank you. The definition we use of mindfulness is very simple. It just simply means being present and focused.

Host:  So, when we’re present and focused. I know that sounds easy but for many of us, that’s hard to do. So, when we’re present and focused, what happens?

Dr. Pipe:  So, when we’re present and focused, and you’re right, it is not easy. It’s very much a practice. But when we’re present and focused, we’re really alert to life as it’s happening to us. And not so much wrapped up in the story of how we wish things were or what might happen in the future or regret about the past. We’re firmly in the present where we can make a choice and have agency about our actions and our attitudes and our thoughts, a little bit more when we’re present.

Host:  So, for our nurses on the frontlines of fighting COVID-19 brilliantly; you just mentioned when we’re not being mindful, we may be stuck in a story loop of how we wish things were or worried about the future. For a nurse who may be caught in that wishing things were different story dominating their thoughts; how does that affect their own emotional wellbeing and health and how can they break free of that? How can they get to that mindful space?

Dr. Pipe:  Yeah. So, there is a lot of gap between the way things are and the way that we wish they were right now. And for nurses on the frontline, this is multiplied day in and day out. So, first of all, I just want to acknowledge and honor those nurses for their presence where they are right now. And then just a gentle reminder that when we spend our energy wishing that things were different or ruminating about the past or worrying about the future; it really takes our energy away. There is a cost to our energy and our attention when those, and they are natural brain patterns that happen. But there is a cost. And so, by bringing ourselves into the present moment, even with something so simple as taking a breath; we can regain that energy and that focus for the present problem that is right at hand.

Host:  It’s interesting you said there is a cost to wishing things were different, ruminating about the past, worrying about the future. So, what is that cost? Is it depleted energy, increased stress and anxiety? Is that the cost when we’re not being mindful?

Dr. Pipe:  Absolutely. So, it’s emotional energy, cognitive, thinking energy. It’s also an energy on our physical, physiological self in things like muscle tension and metabolism and heart rate going faster, blood pressure being higher. So, if we can down regulate those, that stress response, it also saves us wear and tear on the physiology as well as the emotional and cognitive aspect.

Host:  So, the benefits of being mindful are clear. Being mindful can help you emotionally, mentally, and physically. So, how can we be more mindful on a daily basis?

Dr. Pipe:  So, one of my – the first things that we go to is the breath. We often use the breath as an anchor for the attention. So, it’s not so much about the breath itself although there are side benefits to that’ it’s about training the attention. So, I just want to make that really clear that it’s about focusing our attention. So, typically, what I would say, is in a really busy day, stopping and taking a few deep breaths while you are doing your tasks or while you’re relating to a patient or when you are listening to report; those – that can be very calming, centering and can be mindful. However, in the current situation, taking a deep breath might not be comforting. And it might not be the most supporting way of getting mindful. So, if taking a deep breath is not comforting and it’s not something that you want to do, there’s lots of other ways.

So, maybe it’s bringing your attention into a part of your body. That could be the area around your heart, it could be your shoulders, it could be a straight spine, any part of your body, just bringing focused awareness to your body will help you to again, regulate that physiology and emotional response. So, anything that you are bringing your attention to, can be the anchor of mindfulness.

Host:  So, is part of this, we all have these thoughts crowding our minds, all the time, thought, thought, thought, trying to go to sleep, thought, thought, thought. It can drive you crazy. Is part of this clearing our mind of those thoughts?

Dr. Pipe:  You know, in a way that is true, although so many people tell me that they’ve tried mindfulness and failed and when I probe a little bit about what makes you think that you failed; they often say that I didn’t clear my mind, my mind was still going, I can’t stop thinking. And that is actually not a failure to be mindful. That’s just your brain working the way that it was designed to work. So, I try to dispel the myth that mindfulness will clear the mind. It will help us observe thoughts and emotions and responses more carefully and accurately so that we can respond in the way that we wish.

But often our thoughts do come in. they interrupt us and that is the signal that it’s time to bring your focus back to the breath or the body or the conversation or whatever you’re paying attention to. So, it’s not so much a clearing as it is sort of a settling in.

Host:  Okay. So, if you’re not able to clear the thoughts like we’ve heard a lot when it comes to mindfulness; we’re not failing at it then.

Dr. Pipe:  Not at all. Not at all. It just means that your brain is intact and it’s doing exactly what it’s meant to do which is think and remember and interrupt your mindfulness practice.

Host:  Okay, well that’s really helpful and good to know. So, then help us get started. What do we need to do?

Dr. Pipe:  Sure. So, I think the first thing is to not add on any more to what you’re already doing because especially frontline nurses have so many things already. So, tie mindfulness to something that you’re doing anyway. Washing hands, putting on PPE, taking off PPE. Something that you are going to do repetitively through the day is perfect. So, choose a behavior. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just choose a behavior and choose that thing as your focus of attention and every time you do it, or as many times as you can remember; just when you’re doing the behavior, maybe take a breath, maybe just focus the attention, get here now, just really get here and that’s mindfulness. And you can keep that presence going for as long as you can until you forget to be present again. And then, it’s time to start again. Which is fine. You’re building your mindfulness muscle every time you get distracted and bring your focus back.

Host:  That is such a great idea. Since we’re all washing our hands, but especially healthcare workers. So, you’re saying to be mindful, mindfully wash your hands. Just really focus in on washing your hands. I’m going to try to not think of anything, I’m just going to wash my hands now and really get into focusing on washing my hands for that twenty, thirty, forty seconds and that alone is practicing mindfulness. Is that right?

Dr. Pipe:  Exactly right. Exactly.

Host:  You’ve made this so easy for us. Thank you.

Dr. Pipe:  Good.

Host:  Is there any other thing about mindfulness you want to share with us?

Dr. Pipe:  I think one thing that I’d like to say is that mindfulness is not a mysterious state of being. It’s something that is natural and innate and as a child, you have been focused on play and as an adult, you’ve been focused on learning something or music or art or a great conversation. So, you already know how to do this. And so don’t worry if it’s not perfect. Don’t worry if you don’t have twenty minutes a day to sit and practice. Maybe that day comes, maybe it doesn’t. But this could be just a little bit of care for yourself in these really important times.

Host:  Such a great point. Dr. Pipe, thank you so much for your time and helping us today and that we really appreciate it. Thank you.

Dr. Pipe:  Thank you.