Mums in Business featuring Mission: Mindfulness
This week on my Mums in Business series I’m delighted to be featuring my lovely friend Hayley who created Mission: Mindfulness a couple of years ago. I first met Hayley at one of the Lucky Things Meet Ups last year, where we discovered that we both live in south-east London and had our children at the same hospital. Hayley set up Mission: Mindfulness to support parents, tweens and teens, and her career in education has made her realise that mindfulness is definitely required in schools. So if you are interested in mindfulness then please all have a read of Hayley’s story below.
Tell me a little bit about you, your background and Mission: Mindfulness?
Hi there, I’m Hayley – mindfulness practitioner, HuffPost blogger and secondary school teacher. Obviously I am a Mum too or I wouldn’t be participating in this fabulous guest series. My business venture is called Mission: Mindfulness. I set the company up a couple of years ago in order to bring mindfulness to people who need it most – parents, professionals, tweens and teens.
I have combined my 15 years’ experience as a secondary school teacher with my love of mindfulness to run courses that equip young people and adults with mindfulness-based techniques to help them get the most out of 21st century life.
Currently I balance the business with three days a week of teaching History (my first subject!), and taking care of my three young children. This means the sessions I run are either in the evening near where I live in south-east London, or in schools that hire me to run mindfulness programmes for their students. I also run courses in the workplace, and this involves visiting other businesses to coach employees in mindfulness techniques which can help wellbeing, optimise performance and stress management.
I qualified via the Mindfulness in Schools Project and I am also qualified to teach Workplace MT to adults by Mindfulness Exchange a spin-off from the Oxford Mindfulness Centre.
What were your drivers and motivations for setting up Mission: Mindfulness?
I am passionate about spreading the word about how mindfulness can help people’s wellbeing. Mindfulness can sometimes be seen as ‘hippy dippy’ – something I am definitely not – and I want to show people, through the blog and my business that mindfulness can help people from all sorts of different backgrounds.
Through my job I see how young people are being put under so much more stress than previous generations – the exam system, social media etc. I have also seen how mindfulness has helped them cope when being taught in a meaningful and engaging way. This spurs me on to continue to teach mindfulness to young people.
I’ve also seen personally how mindfulness can help busy adults juggling so much on a day-to-day basis (including how it’s helped myself) and so this drives me to run my evening courses and courses in the workplace too.
How do you balance the business around family and childcare?
I’m taking building up the business slowly. I’ll run courses one evening a week and only go into one or two different schools in any one week. I’ll then work one or two evenings a week to promote the business. I know that when the twins go to nursery next year I’ll have more time to do more courses and again when they start reception. But there’s no rush.
Since setting up the business what’s been your biggest success to date?
I think it’s the positive feedback I have received from people who have attended my sessions. I always hope my courses and workshops are making a difference but it’s only when I read things like the statement below that I realise I really am having a positive impact on people’s lives.
“Attending Hayley’s mindfulness sessions were the highlight of my week. They allowed me to interact with colleagues on a personal level and enjoy some much needed ‘me time’. I continue to implement mindfulness into my day and if even for only 5 minutes, it makes the world of difference.”
What’s your top tip for Mums who are thinking about setting up their own business?
If all you can do is build up your business ‘little and often’ then do it! That’s enough. As I said above I fit my venture around my family, a part-time job in teaching and a blog so I can’t dedicate lots of time to it.
I just ‘chip away’ at my to-do list and ensure I spend a little bit of most days doing something for the business. This has definitely helped build momentum and means that when I do have more time to invest in this project I will have laid very good foundations.
You can find out more about Mission: Mindfulness by visiting the website, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram channels.
Thank you so much Hayley for taking part in my series, it was lovely to interview you, and I wish you the best of luck in the future.
If you would like to be part of my Mums in Business then just drop me an email: thepramshedblog@gmail.com. Or have a nose at some of the other businesses I have featured in my series: Vista PR, Bare Biology, and Amicable.
Claire x
26 Comments
Michaela - The Mummy Diaries
This sounds really good and great they do it in schools #fortheloveofBLOG
Kayleigh (Mini Human Resources)
I am a HR Manager at an independent school and last year I devised and ran a ‘Positive Mental Health’ event both for the students and the teachers. part of this involved having a mindfulness coach come in and give talks to the teachers on their approach to teaching and life and how to practice relaxation techniques. it went down so well and I would love to do it again – I will definitely look you up depending on how far you travel! #FortheloveofBLOG
Hayley @ Mission: Mindfulness
Oooh yes please do! I am happy to travel. Best wishes, Hayley
Hayley @ Mission: Mindfulness
Oooh yes please do! I am happy to travel. Best wishes, Hayley
This Scribbler Mum
Inspiring. I had a chance to attend a Mindfulness session and it was great! #fortheloveofBLOG
Tubbs
They’ve done some mindfulness training at the Tubblet’s school. It’s such a good idea as it’ll help them deal better the pressures of options, exams and piles of homework. (Hopefully!)
Mummy Nuthatch
What a great things you’re doing. As a secondary school teacher, I find mindfulness a really effective tool both for myself and for the pupils I teach. The wider it can spread the better in my opinion.
Mummy Nuthatch
Sorry, meant to add #fortheloveofBLOG
Sara @ Magical Mama Blog
This sounds wonderful! One of my friends was just asked to start a program like this in our local school district and I am so excited to see how well it is received!
Congratulations and keep it up!
#fortheloveofblog
Michelle | The Willow Tree
Sounds amazing and its so important to not rush a growth of a business! Great to learn more about Hayley and her business! #fortheloveofblog
Eva Katona
What a lovely interview! I absolutely agree with the little but often rule, it definitely works for me! #fortheloveofblog
Helen aka Welsh Mum Writing
A great concept for a business. Mindfulness was recommended by a physio for me as a way of helping manage a physical condition. I need to do better though. Great advice for those thinking of starting their own business .
#fortheloveofblog
Hayley @ Mission: Mindfulness
Thanks again for featuring me Claire. i really enjoyed doing the interview xx #fortheloveofBLOG xx
Red Rachel
I work in a school in Human Resources and we offer free a Mindfulness course to staff as part of our wellbeing strategy. It has received very positive feedback 🙂
Briony
So interesting. Great to see it working so well. I’ve found mindfulness to be very helpful personally #fortheloveofBLOG
Nicole - Tales from Mamaville
Inspiring and lovely read. I’m always overthinking or just thinking about things, and worrying about what-ifs – I need to be more in the present! Will be working on that…
#fortheloveofBLOG
Amy - The Rolling Baby
This sounds like a great idea that so many will gain from. All the best with it #fortheloveofBLOG
Ruth - Mummy and the Mexicans
This is inspiring. I need to work on mindfulness techniques – a course would be so useful and it should definitely be included in the school curriculum. #fortheloveofblog
Fancy
Am so relieved that mindfulness is becoming more focused at schools now. So important #fortheloveBLOG
Ali Duke
What a great business idea, I am sure it has helped many people.
#fortheloveofBLOG
Five in the hive
I wish more schools would take note of this, its so important. #fortheloveofblog
David - Tales of Two Children
It’s great when people share their passion in a positive way. Fantastic feature.
#FortheLoveofBLOG
Mrs Mummy Harris
I love Hayley’s message and it can really translate in business!! If only more companies took it on! #fortheloveofBLOG
Helena
Wishing her lots of success. Building up little by little sounds a great plan to me. #fortheloveofBLOG
Daydreams of a mum
It’s always great to hear more about the person behind the blog. Sounds a great project to be bringing into school when we’re all frazzled by technology! #fortheloveofBLOG
Lucy At Home
I love the way that Hayley explains mindfulness – it’s so easy to understand and really applicable. I wish we lived closer because I would definitely do one of her courses! I also love the reminder to keep “chipping away” at the tasks – this is something I am really working on and not trying to get everything done at once. Hubby keeps saying to me “you’re playing a long game so just take your time and stop stressing” and I really need that constant reminder! #blogcrush