The auto industry has a slight image problem when it comes to diversity and inclusion. Deloitte points out that just 25% of its employees are women, while an Automotive News survey pegged the gender pay gap in 2024 at a whopping $74,300 across US dealerships.
This is a problem for purely ethical reasons, but it also hurts businesses in this sector from a practical perspective and creates company cultures that tend to be backward-looking rather than progressive.
As a result, there’s a lack of mindfulness and positivity on show, which is a pity on several levels.
To help change this for the better, let’s talk about the reasons why a rethink is needed and how optimistic and conscientious practices can be rolled out for the benefit of all automotive professionals.
The Benefits of Mindfulness & Positive Thinking
First, we need to prove that these things actually matter and will give businesses the upper hand if they adopt them – so here are some of the perks that you need to keep in mind as our discussion moves forward:
Lower Stress
It’s well known that mindfulness can cut stress levels, and in the high pressure world of auto manufacturing, sales and maintenance, this is certainly worth pursuing. When team members are less frazzled, they will be more productive and stick around for loyalty.
One study from the UK found that 66% of automotive professionals had suffered negative stress-related repercussions as a result of their job, and that the pressure is being piled on more by the year. This should be a clarion cry for a much-needed intervention.
Greater Focus
Mindfulness and positivity can give people the focus they need to tackle tasks. Research has shown that even 10 minutes of meditation can have a marked improvement in this regard, which again is something that can be translated into workplace productivity for automotive professionals.
Communication & Collaboration
There are lots of soft skills automotive technicians should possess, and being able to communicate and collaborate with colleagues and customers stands out in this context.
Without mindful awareness of the impact of the work you do, or a positive approach to the challenges you face, it’s hard to speak clearly or work seamlessly with others.
Decision-Making
We all make over 30,000 decisions in a typical 24 hour period, and this can give diminishing returns as the day wears on.
Mindfulness creates focus in the moment and clearly divides between tasks so that automotive professionals aren’t overwhelmed by their to-do list. Positive thinking gives them the motivation they need to keep going.
Practical Exercises to Implement
If you’re now sold on the idea of introducing mindfulness and positive thinking to your life as an automotive professional, here are a few ideas to try:
Being Thankful
When it’s all getting a bit much, taking a short break to create a list of four or five things that deserve to be appreciated is a suitable antidote.
For automotive professionals, that might mean reflecting on how useful it is to have the right tools and technologies needed to work on vehicle projects close at hand, or even something as simple as being able to work outside when the weather is fine.
Eating Mindfully
Food is fuel, but that doesn’t mean we should just wolf it down thoughtlessly. Automotive professionals should aim to treat each meal and snack as a singular experience that’s worthy of their attention.
Study the food carefully before biting into it, and chew it twice as long as usual to really get to grips with flavors and appreciate the benefits it brings to your energy levels and mental state.
Using Time Wisely
Professionals can feel rushed off their feet, which means that their focus is divided and tasks get dealt with sloppily. Instead, avoid the temptation to multitask or hurry past important duties, and instead recognize that it’s better to deal with one thing at a time and do it well.
That way, you won’t need to re-do work either, which is good for positivity.
Wrapping Up
Automotive professionals aren’t unique in their need for mindfulness and positive thinking.
Given the pressures of this industry, as well as the uncertainties, it’s definitely sensible to prioritize making top-level cultural changes as well as individual ones to move the whole sector in the right direction, and bolster personal success in tandem.
