Of all the free classes that Google offers to employees, one of the most popular is called S.I.Y., for “Search Inside Yourself.” Led by Chade-Meng Tan, 41, Employee No. 107 at Google, SIY is class on mindfulness.
According to Caitlin Kelly writing in the NY Times this weekend, "The class has three steps: attention training, self-knowledge and self-mastery, and the creation of useful mental habits. If it sounds a bit touchy-feely, consider this: More than 1,000 Google employees have taken the class, and there’s a waiting list of 30 when it’s offered, four times a year. The class accepts 60 people and runs seven weeks."
"One tool the course teaches is SBNRR--nicknamed the Siberian North Railroad--but really short for Stop. Breathe. Notice. Reflect. Respond."
Mindfulness builds resilience and the ability to pause before responding, noticing triggers and emotions, and choosing what to do and say next.
Tan's book, Search Inside Yourself, is out this month and is described as "your guide to enhancing productivity and creativity, finding meaning and fulfillment in your work and life, and experiencing profound peace, compassion, and happiness while doing so."
What's that worth to you?
