What is mindfulness in business? - Beyond the buzzword!

In this blog, I am going to answer the question - ‘What is Mindfulness’ and unpack how it can actually make a real difference in the way we lead, work, and show up at work.

A lot of the time, ‘Mindfulness’ is thrown around in the workplace but to some the term is considered ‘fluffy’ or vague and it starts to lose its meaning.

I’ve heard it mentioned in meetings, wellbeing programmes, and team away days – but often, what people are actually talking about isn’t mindfulness at all.

So what is mindfulness, and what is it most definitely not?

What mindfulness is not

• It’s not about zoning out or escaping from reality

• It’s not about being endlessly calm and peaceful.

• It’s not about being perfect and zen all the time.

• And it’s definitely not about toxic positivity - the kind where we’re told to “just breathe through it” no matter what’s going on.

  
  

A common struggle we have, is the idea that you have to get it “right” – that it’s a skill or a practice you do and eventually you are perfect at it. That’s simply not the case.

The most established, long standing mindfulness teachers will agree that it’s a life- long practice- because it’s to do with our training our brains and being aware of our thoughts - and our brains are WILD!

Our brains are designed to be over shifting, ever searching for danger in order to protect us. What this means is that we have over 70,000 thoughts every single day. Which is a lot to manage.

So mindfulness is an ongoing practice – some days it’s easier, some days it feels impossible.

And that is ok. And normal. There is no such thing as getting it wrong or right in mindfulness. It just is. It’s a huge part of the practice - acceptance and non-judgement for where we are in that moment.

Common misconception about meditation and mindfulness

A lot of people confuse mindfulness with meditation, and they think that the only way to be mindful is to meditate. Of course, meditation can be part of your mindfulness practice but it’s not the whole picture. It is more than just sitting cross-legged with your eyes closed, doing some deep breathing exercises for 10 minutes a day.

It’s more than throwing an app at your team or delivering the odd training session – to find mindfulness that actually sticks within your culture, you have to see beyond the quick fix and wellbeing perk.

So what is mindfulness, really?

For me, it’s very simple: it’s about creating awareness.

It’s about being able to notice what’s happening - both around us and inside us - without immediately reacting, rushing past it or trying to fix.

Not everything can be fixed, so it becomes very difficult to BE with what just IS.

It’s about paying attention - to our thoughts, to our emotions, to our habits and behaviours - and doing that with some kindness, rather than judgement.

Mindfulness helps us pause before we react.

It helps us regulate our nervous system, which is so often in overdrive at work.

It allows us to respond with more clarity, even in pressure.

And it builds compassion - which isn’t about being soft or nice all the time, but about recognising what’s going on in others and responding in a way that’s thoughtful, fair, and human.

In leadership, that matters. In teams, it matters even more.

So, when I said earlier that meditation is one type of mindfulness, that is because it allows us to be still, to notice what is going on in our bodies rather than our busy mind, and to build that awareness.

Where businesses go wrong with mindfulness

When businesses try to ‘bring in mindfulness’ it’s often treated as a bolt-on. A lunchtime session here, a one-off meditation there, or a link to an app for DIY mindfulness.

The intention is usually good - but without proper context or follow-through, it can feel superficial. And staff notice that.

If mindfulness isn’t backed by real cultural change - if meetings are still frantic, emails still come through at 10pm, and leadership still rewards overwork - then no amount of deep breathing is going to fix that.

For example, you have a brilliant mental health strategy on paper – but when you talk to your team, they say they feel like they can’t take breaks without judgment.

That’s the difference between talking about mindfulness and living it.

How to make mindfulness part of your culture

It starts small.

• It can look like a manager taking a few deep breaths before delivering difficult feedback - not to calm down, but to show up clearly and with intention.

• It can look like a team checking in at the start of a meeting - not just on the agenda, but on how people are feeling, what they’re bringing in with them.

• It can look like creating space to pause - to reflect after a big project, rather than racing to the next task.

• In leadership, mindfulness means having the self-awareness to know when you’re leading from stress or reactivity - and the ability to choose differently.

• It also means listening better, speaking more intentionally, and modelling the kind of presence you want others to bring.

This isn’t about perfection, it is about practice - and making space for that practice in a real, grounded way.

Closing thoughts

If you’re reading this, take note – we often think mindfulness is something we have to stop and do – but in fact it’s a reflex, or a behaviour that needs to be cultivated.

Like your gym work, building your awareness muscle in the brain is the same process – it’s about noticing and stretching it time and time again, and the more we pause to notice, the more awareness we build.

With that awareness comes decisive, intentional action. Rather than an emotional knee jerk reaction.

About me

If mindfulness is something you’re curious about - whether you’re a leader, a team member, or someone trying to shift the culture in your organisation - I’d love to talk to you.

You can get in touch directly or check out the free resource I’ve linked here. It’s a simple guide on how to bring mindful practices into your working day - no jargon, no fluff.

Mindfulness doesn’t need to be complicated.But it does need to be lived to make a difference.