Every Day Mindfulness for Work and Life

I gave a mindfulness presentation today at a wellness corporate event. It was awesome to be in a room full of people willing to close their eyes, take a few deep breaths, and practice mindfulness in the middle of their workday. I shared a couple of recent personal stories about how a strong mindfulness practice has benefited me and my relationships, and discussed how to incorporate it into their lives easily. We even did some paired-up exercises on mindful communication. They were such an open-minded bunch! Here are my notes from the presentation. I hope that sharing my notes can also help you manage your everyday work and life stresses more mindfully!

Why Mindfulness?

In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to get stuck on autopilot—reacting to stress, distractions, and demands without much thought. Mindfulness offers us a way to pause, breathe, and choose our response with greater clarity.

Meditation is one way we can learn to be mindful, but it is not the only way. People can be mindful people without being meditators. I am a huge advocate of meditation. It’s benefits are proven time and time again, but some people are just not going to meditate, and that’s okay. You can learn to use the time you have more mindfully without it, and here’s how!

One of the simplest tools for building mindfulness in everyday life is the STOP Method. This quick, easy practice can help you reset and realign anytime, anywhere.

The STOP Method: A Simple Mindfulness Technique

S – Stop
Pause what you’re doing. Take a moment before reacting.

T – Take a Breath
Inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth. One conscious breath can shift your entire state.

O – Observe
Notice what’s happening inside and around you—your thoughts, emotions, and body sensations—without judgment.

P – Proceed
Move forward with intention. Decide how you want to respond, rather than reacting automatically.

Mindfulness Examples

• Before a big presentation: STOP → one deep breath → notice nerves → proceed with confidence.

• During a stressful exchange: STOP → breathe → observe frustration → proceed with a calmer reply.

How to Build Everyday Mindfulness

• Take micro-pauses — pause for a deep breath between meetings or tasks.

• Pair mindfulness with daily rituals — your morning coffee, closing your laptop, or even walking to the car can become mindful moments.

Reflection Prompts

Take a few minutes at the end of your day or week to reflect:

• Was there a time this week when the STOP method would have helped me?

  • What was happening?

  • How might STOP have changed my response?

• What small mindfulness habit could I add into my daily routine?

  • What would that look like?

Mindfulness doesn’t require extra time. It’s about bringing awareness to the moments you already live.

A System for Life

“You don’t rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
— James Clear, Atomic Habits

Mindfulness is one of those systems. By practicing the STOP method regularly, you create a reliable tool to help you stay grounded, focused, and intentional—at work and in life.

Try STOP this week and notice the difference it makes in your clarity and calm.

It’s as easy as ABC! Awareness + Breath = Conscious Choice!