Mindfulness at work: How mindfulness training may change the way we work

Chronic stress, burnout, and major depression are currently major health challenges in Western cultures. Mindfulness is defined as the ability to voluntarily direct attention towards the present moment in an accepting and non-judgmental manner. This ability seems to help to train the mind to detach from the excessive or negative thinking (rumination) that plays a major role in the onset of burnout and depression. Having successfully been implemented in clinical settings, mindfulness trainings are becoming increasingly popular in organizational settings. In this article, we aim to provide a general map of mindfulness trainings in the work-place. Following some necessary background information on the roots of mindfulness, we continue with a short outline of some training formats that are being offered in work-place settings. We will then review recent, selected empirical findings on the impact of such training in work settings, and discuss the perils and promises of integrating mindfulness into the work-place.