What Is Mindfulness? Strategies for Work and Daily Life

In the Pali language, the word sati means “awareness” or “attentiveness” and is commonly translated as “mindfulness” [1]. Originating in Buddhist practice, mindfulness is the act of maintaining awareness of the body and mind—remembering to observe what’s going on, breathing, and being in the present moment.

Practising mindfulness can help you gain focus, clarity, and compassion when you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed. Various methods can help you focus on the breath, body, and mind.

Discover more about what mindfulness is, its benefits, and some practical strategies for incorporating it into your work and daily life.

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present and aware of your surroundings and what you’re doing, with as little judgement or reaction as possible. It is a skill often linked with meditation, yoga, or other types of training that can help bring your attention to your present moment and what you’re experiencing without getting overwhelmed or distracted.

Think of it as cultivating a state of mind or being rather than trying to “perfect” mindfulness. Over time, practising mindfulness gets easier and more intuitive.

Benefits of mindfulness

Mindfulness is beneficial to the mind, body, and spirit. Here are just a few key benefits:

• Reduce stress: Focusing on the present moment can help eliminate worries (the future) and regrets (the past) so you can reduce the amount of stress weighing on your mind.

• Gain insight: Eliminating the unnecessary “static” from your mind can help you gain insight by visualising your problems from an objective perspective. You might think, “Oh, this feeling is familiar. I’ve gone through this before, and I can do it again.”

• Eliminate negative emotions: Practising mindfulness can help eliminate stress and negative thoughts as you focus on what you’re feeling, what you can change, and what is out of your control.

• Enhance performance: In a work setting, a few moments of mindfulness can help calm your nerves before a big presentation, a difficult conversation with your boss, or simply focus on the task at hand. Being more mindful can also bring balance into your day as you prioritise a midday walk or mindfully chew your meal.

• Increase empathy: Awareness of the present moment can increase your attention to others’ well-being. It allows you to connect with friends, colleagues, and family with more intention and curiosity, suspending judgement and negative reactions.

• Focus the mind: Sometimes, work or daily life requires you to concentrate on a task, such as analysing a spreadsheet, brainstorming marketing campaigns, or cooking an elaborate meal. Practising mindfulness can help maintain more focus and attentiveness.

• Manage anxiety and depression: An enhanced awareness can help you recognise and address the signs of anxiety and depression early. It can help you focus on the temporary and subjective nature of these feelings, bringing you into the present moment in a nonjudgemental, self-accepting manner. A 2022 study on Indian adults found that mindfulness improved anxiety, depression, and quality of life [2].

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How to cultivate mindfulness

Whilst mindfulness is more about cultivating a state of being than a practice or training, strategies can help you achieve that state of mind or being. Just like you might run thirty minutes a day to stay fit, practising these methods consistently can help you come back to the present moment and be a more mindful person.

Two main types of mindfulness practice are:

Formal practice: Setting aside dedicated time for mindfulness meditation. This is what most people think of when they hear “mindfulness.” Formal practice requires you to be intentional and to sit relatively quietly for a period of time. It can include:

• Conducting a body scan

• Sitting meditation

• Mindful movement

Informal practice: Paying attention to everyday activities with fresh eyes, as if you are doing it for the first time. This is probably more accessible for most people. You might think, “Brushing my teeth is mindfulness?” Yes, it can be if you brush your teeth with a curious, focused, and open mindset. It can include:

• Brushing your teeth

• Folding laundry

• Washing your dishes (or your hands)

Getting better at being mindful requires regular practise. Rice University’s Dr. Elizabeth Slator advises committing to about twenty minutes of practise every day. “Ironically, most people struggle with mindfulness because they overthink it. It's not that complicated, it's just hard,” Slator says [3].

6 mindfulness practices

Try incorporating these practices into your daily routine to help you develop a more mindful attitude towards work and life. As you do one or more of these methods every day for a few weeks, you’ll typically start to feel the benefits, which can motivate you to continue your mindfulness practice.

1. Meditation

Meditation is the practice of focusing or clearing your mind. You can do this by using any combination of mental or physical techniques. Most often, you’ll think of practitioners sitting cross-legged with their fingers in “om” position. But you can meditate sitting, lying down, or even walking, using positions that feel most comfortable to you.

Studies show that four days of meditation can enhance the ability to sustain attention [4]. Try an app like Calm or Headspace, which can track your progress and provide an array of guided meditations to get you practising today.

2. Body scan

Body scanning is considered a meditation technique that involves paying attention to parts of the body and any bodily sensations in a gradual sequence, from feet to head. This can be a very grounding practice because you bring mental awareness to each part of your body. Be sure to notice any aches, tension, pain, or discomfort, which you will focus on, acknowledge, and imagine decreasing as you breathe.

3. Movement

Who knew mindfulness could also be active? Well, the act of moving your body can cultivate mindfulness simply by being aware of your body in motion. Walking meditation can be a wonderful way to get into meditation because it is a routine you're likely accustomed to. You can focus on your breathing and the ground below you as you walk and notice any sights or smells. 

Yoga, dance, and other types of sports can also provide the movement needed to become mindful of the present moment. You might like to try Down Dog, a free app where you can customise the difficulty level, duration, and focus area for your yoga session. 

4. Visualisation

Visualisation is focusing on a specific event, person, or goal you want to achieve and then imagining it becoming a reality. This is a mindfulness technique you can incorporate into meditation.

In popular culture, you might hear someone say, “I’m manifesting…” a lofty goal, like a dream job or another life change. Though it may seem unconventional, visualisation can be a powerful tool in mindfulness because you are envisioning your goal to focus your energy towards achieving it.

5. Journaling

Journaling, whilst it requires some amount of thinking, can be a very cathartic mindfulness tool because it allows you the space to write down your thoughts and emotions. Not only does the act of getting it down on paper require you to get introspective, it can help you be kinder to yourself. You might want to explore this using mindful journaling prompts, or starting with a few things you’re grateful for.

6. Sensory exercises

This informal practice of mindfulness brings focus and attention to whatever you’re doing in the present moment. Often, it works best with repetitive tasks like folding laundry or washing the dishes, allowing your mind to focus on this task—smelling the lavender dishwashing soap and feeling the warm water as it washes away crumbs and dried-up sauce.

Sensory exercises can include chewing slowly to savour every flavour and texture. If you work in an office, your lunchtime can become a practice in mindfulness if you go for a short walk to a park to enjoy every bite of your crunchy salad. Sitting or lying down to listen to an entire album from your favourite artist can be a very mindful practice.

Practise mindfulness today with Coursera

Mindfulness is the practice of focusing on the present moment without judgment. It can be cultivated through meditation, yoga, or simply paying attention to everyday activities. Mindfulness can improve focus, reduce stress, and enhance overall well-being. You can practice mindfulness by setting aside dedicated meditation time or incorporating informal practices throughout your day.

Start practising mindfulness today with help from Rice University’s Specialisation Mindfulness and Well-Being. Explore the theory and methods of mindfulness that can increase your present-moment awareness to benefit your daily life and career.