Tis the season to be frantically busy. Those that are wishing “joy to the world” or “peace on earth” are likely also desperately wishing for these things themselves. In the face of innumerable statistics that tell us 66% of employees report feeling burnt out, the invitation to practice mindfulness is at best, compassionate, and at worst, infuriating.
Over the last three decades, interest in mindfulness has exploded. Based on research that shows mindfulness can have measurable beneficial effects, for example, on stress, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and workplace outcomes, mindfulness has become a household name paraded around organization as the ultimate antidote to stress. As a researcher of mindfulness applications at work, I have been an active contributor to this parade. Yet, not everyone benefits equally from the practice of mindfulness. And often, the very act of wanting to practice mindfulness in order to alleviate stress suggests you are practicing mindfulness incorrectly.
Let It Be
Recently, a paper published in Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being sought to investigate non-attachment as the specific mechanism linking mindfulness to well-being. Non-attachment refers to a flexible, balanced way of relating to your experience without clinging to or suppressing what you notice. Non-attachment is not about inaction—it’s about focusing 100% on the action without being paralyzed by the anxiety of the future or getting lost in an exaggerated story about the event. In the first study, the researchers followed 69 participant experiences over two weeks collecting data multiple times a day resulting in almost 3,000 datapoints. The researchers found that the powerful skill of letting it be was linked to positive outcomes. In particular, when people reported being in a mindful state, they also reported higher levels of non-attachment. Additionally, non-attachment, after controlling for the effect of mindfulness, was positively related to positive emotions (e.g., happy, calm) and negatively associated with negative affect (e.g., sad, stressed). Put simply, mindfulness makes you better at letting go, and it is the letting go that actually drives your well-being.
Practice Makes Perfect
In Study 1, the researchers found that the duration of meditation practice was significantly associated with reports of happiness and stress, which suggests that the quantity and quality of one’s mindfulness practice is a critical consideration. Mindfulness can be a state (e.g., “I’m mindful right now”) or it can be a trait (e.g., “I am a mindful person”). To explore these relationships at the trait level, the researchers conducted a second study over two months, with a larger sample of participants (N=224). They measured trait mindfulness, non-attachment, and psychological well-being at three time points (T1, T2, T3): baseline (T1), after one month (T2), and after two months (T3) in order to see if trait mindfulness at T1 could predict well-being at T3, and if well-being could be explained by non-attachment at T2. Contrary to Study 1, the researchers found that mindfulness at baseline (T1) was not related to psychological well-being at the two-month follow-up, nor was non-attachment at the one-month check-in a significant mediator. Time, however, matters considerably. When all of these variables were considered at baseline using only T1 data, a significant relationship between mindfulness and well-being emerged and this link was mediated by non-attachment. This suggests that for those who are already mindful, they already experience the benefits of non-attachment; however, for largely non-meditators, the beneficial effect was not sustained over time without an intervention
The Strategic Imperative for Leaders
The takeaway from these two studies is compelling for anyone that has ever looked to mindfulness as a practice to support their well-being. First, mindfulness, and non-attachment in particular, are skills that must be continuously reinforced—especially for those that are not seasoned meditators. The act of “letting be” is not a passive side effect that endures without effort or strategy. For the high-achieving professional, taking an “it is what it is” perspective is going to be hugely uncomfortable and foreign given they have likely been rewarded for years of controlling the process, and striving for specific outcomes. Yet, the leader who consciously commits to the habit of observing without clinging to outcomes gains the skill of receptive awareness, which holds the promise of several strategic advantages.
- Unbreakable Resilience: Your identity ceases to be tied to the success of one project or the approval of one stakeholder. When a strategy fails, the non-attached leader absorbs the data, separates it from their personal value, and pivots faster, allowing for organizational agility and faster recovery.
- Objective Decision-Making: Ego-attachment to an idea is the enemy of innovation. When leaders are not attached to being right, they can genuinely solicit and integrate feedback that contradicts their own views. They see their ideas as valuable, but ultimately disposable tools, rather than extensions of their ego.
- True Emotional Regulation: Non-attachment allows you to observe emotional dynamics—be it a team member’s frustration or your own self-doubt—without automatically internalizing or reacting defensively. This distance provides the clarity needed to apply compassion and strategy simultaneously, ensuring you lead with presence, not just impulse.
Three Micro-Practices to Cultivate “Letting Be”
The goal of mindfulness isn’t just a brief moment of calm; it’s about developing the inner awareness and emotional agility to notice without reacting, and accept the things you cannot control. This simple but not easy approach can be practiced in your daily workflow:
- The “This Is” Frame: When facing a difficult situation (e.g., losing a major client), quietly narrate it using the neutral phrase, “This is what’s happening right now.” This factual language prevents your mind from spiralling into dramatic, self-critical narratives (“This is the end of my career”) and brings you back to the objective reality.
- Focus on Effort, Release Outcome: In high-stakes projects, commit fully to the effort and the quality of your process, but consciously surrender the absolute necessity of a specific perfect result.
- The 3-Second Label and The 90-Second Sensation: Before reacting to a challenging email or a disappointing result, consciously take three seconds. In that pause, silently label the feeling: “Frustration,” “Disappointment,” “Impatience.” Then, shift your awareness to your physical body. According to research by Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, the physiological expression of an emotion unfolds over approximately 90-seconds before the body’s chemicals dissipate. Try to watch the body’s sensations arise, and pass away. This simple labeling and observation of sensation is the first step toward creating the space required for non-attachment, separating the emotion from your response.
If you’re wondering why your mindfulness practice feels like a temporary fix, perhaps it’s because you haven’t yet developed the art of “letting be.” If your inner monologue is more along the lines of “I can’t quiet my mind, there’s no way I can sit still long enough to meditate”, be comforted by the fact that mindfulness practices are aimed at noticing what’s on your mind with less reactivity rather than emptying your mind altogether. In the end, the probability of enjoying the many fruits of mindfulness are increased by committing to a practice over time so