Mind as Code - Mindfulness for Developers and Knowledge Workers

The last years have given rise to the idea, that - besides knowledge - practice is essential for developers and knowledge workers. There are code katas, coding and coaching dojos, pair and mob programming. A scientifically underpinned way to systematically develop a different kind of skill-set is mindfulness. With a regular mindfulness practice you can improve concentration, equanimity and impulse control; skills that are useful and very much needed in complex agile environments. Basically you become more proficient in hacking your mind: you slowly learn the programming language your mind responds to and thus cultivate a more friendly and fruitful relationship to your mind. In this interactive session I will present how mindfulness works and why it is worth practicing for a developer. We look at the neuroscience behind it and do a short practice that you can take home with you. All of that using a lot of comparisons to coding and there even will be a cat video. **What will the audience learn from this talk?**<br> You will learn what mindfulness is and in which way it is different from what you might think (It's likely less esoteric and less about relaxation than you think). You will also learn why it's beneficial for you to practice it (for life and work and programming) and take home a foundational exercise to start with. **Does it feature code examples and/or live coding?**<br> No **Prerequisite attendee experience level:** <br> [Level 100](https://gotoams.nl/2019/pages/experience-level)