Discover the secret weapons top CEOs use to combat stress and sharpen their focus. This article unveils 19 powerful mindfulness techniques, backed by insights from industry leaders who have mastered the art of mental clarity. From core centering to breath focus, these practices offer a practical roadmap for executives seeking to enhance their performance and well-being in today’s fast-paced business world.
- Core Centering: A CEO’s Path to Clarity
- Transcendental Meditation Boosts CEO Performance
- Mindful Breathing: A CEO’s Stress-Reduction Technique
- Anchor Breathing: A Yoga CEO’s Focus Tool
- Bookend Breathing: Creating Work-Life Boundaries
- Imaginal Container: A CEO’s Mental Reset
- Box Breathing: A CEO’s Calm Under Pressure
- Body Scan: A CEO’s Midday Rejuvenation Practice
- Quieting the Mind: A CEO’s Leadership Transformation
- Mental Clearing: A CEO’s Path to Alignment
- Guided Meditation: A CEO’s Nightly Refresh
- Pause-and-Land: A CEO’s Micro-Mindfulness Practice
- Huangting Zen: A CEO’s Journey to Inner Peace
- Stress Scrubbing: A CEO’s Energy Management Technique
- Subconscious Dialogue: A CEO’s Clarity Tool
- Micro-Practices: A CEO’s Stress Prevention Strategy
- Three Questions: A CEO’s Stress-Busting Technique
- Breath Focus: A CEO’s Path to Presence
- Mindfulness: A CEO’s Tool for Clarity
Core Centering: A CEO’s Path to Clarity
Incorporating mindfulness into my daily routine is essential for reducing stress and staying focused. While traditional meditation is a common choice, I’ve found that Core Centering is an even more effective practice. Unlike meditation alone, which can sometimes feel challenging when the mind is active, Core Centering actively engages the nervous system, allowing it—and me—to relax deeply.
Core Centering combines gentle movement, breathwork, self-massage, and meditation. It operates on the principle that we first need to work with the body, then the breath, and finally the mind in order to achieve states of calm. Core Centering doesn’t have to take long—it can be as brief as a few minutes or as immersive as a full hour. I always incorporate at least a little every morning, and it’s the perfect practice to clear my head at night and prepare for restful sleep.
Core Centering not only helps me unwind but also enhances my clarity and decision-making as a leader. It’s a powerful tool rooted in mindfulness and somatic awareness, creating a profound sense of balance and focus. Best of all, it’s simple and accessible for anyone to practice.
Ani Anderson
CEO, Somatic Coaching Academy
Transcendental Meditation Boosts CEO Performance
I practice Transcendental Meditation twice daily—once in the morning and once in the afternoon or early evening, for 20 minutes each. It’s been an absolute game-changer for me.
As a CEO, my mind is constantly active, and this practice has taught me to slow down, regulate my nervous system, and reduce stress. Interestingly, the value isn’t just in the meditation itself—which honestly feels like the most restful nap ever—but in what happens after. I return to my day with more clarity, focus, and a sense of calm that helps me make better decisions and lead more effectively.
One of my biggest lessons is that we often mistake stress for productivity. But they’re not the same. Meditation helped me separate the two—and since incorporating this practice into my daily routine, my productivity has increased significantly, not from doing more but from being more grounded and intentional.
Mike Veny
Certified Corporate Wellness Specialist, Mike Veny, Inc.
Mindful Breathing: A CEO’s Stress-Reduction Technique
As a CEO, I not only practice mindfulness and meditation, but I also teach it to my clients.
Pause right now and sense the airflow through your nostrils. Notice the temperature. Is it warm or cool?
Now bring your awareness to your chest, observing the rise and fall. You might even place your hand here. Do you breathe with ease or resistance?
Lower your awareness to your abdomen and feel the expansion and contraction for a couple rounds of breath. What thoughts come to mind? How do your clothes feel against your skin?
Now breathe with your whole diaphragm. Allow your lungs to fill completely, noticing how they expand not just to the front but to the sides of your body.
Notice how you feel now.
You have just practiced mindful breathing. Mindful breathing helps ground you in the present moment. When you are fully present, you are not worried about the future nor are you regretting the past, so you experience less stress.
Mindful breathing also helps regulate the nervous system. The simple act of paying attention to your breath on purpose activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes relaxation, reducing stress and anxiety. It also supports mental clarity.
You can practice one breath at a time, take the two-minute challenge, or practice for as long as you like. You can do it anywhere since you are always breathing.
Practicing during a transition time is a simple way to start. For example, before you check your phone in the morning, in between work and home, before a meal, or before you send a text or email when you are experiencing difficult emotions.
As long as you are breathing, there is more right with you than wrong. Breathe.
Amy McCae
CEO/Founder, Creative Wellness
Anchor Breathing: A Yoga CEO’s Focus Tool
Mindfulness isn’t just something I teach—it’s something I live by, especially when it comes to managing stress and staying focused in the day-to-day operations of running a business.
One technique I come back to again and again is something I call “anchor breathing.” It’s simple but incredibly effective. I take just five minutes between meetings or tasks to sit still, close my eyes, and focus on one deep breath at a time—anchoring my awareness on the inhale and the exhale. I often pair it with a short mantra like “I am here,” which helps bring me out of reactive mode and into a place of clarity. This practice re-centers me, sharpens my focus, and creates space to respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively.
As a CEO, it’s easy to get caught in a cycle of urgency and overdrive. Mindfulness has helped me remember that I don’t have to do everything at once—and that I’m at my best when I’m grounded. It’s not always about carving out an hour for meditation; sometimes it’s about finding those mindful moments between the chaos and protecting them fiercely. That’s been one of my most valuable tools for leadership, for self-care, and honestly, for life.
Shayna Hasson
Co-Founder & CEO, Yoga Beyond The Studio
Bookend Breathing: Creating Work-Life Boundaries
I’ve made mindfulness an essential anchor in my daily routine, not as a luxury but as a strategic necessity for sustaining clear decision-making. My most transformative practice is what I call “bookend breathing”—three minutes of guided breathing both before opening my laptop in the morning and immediately after closing it at day’s end. I use a simple 4-7-8 pattern (inhale for 4 counts, hold for 7, exhale for 8) while visualizing the day ahead or releasing the day behind.
What makes this technique powerful isn’t just the physiological reset it provides, but how it creates distinct boundaries between work and life. Before implementing this practice, I found myself carrying decision fatigue from morning meetings into afternoon strategy sessions, and bringing work stress home to my family. For fellow leaders drowning in constant connectivity, this small investment of six minutes daily delivers outsized returns on mental clarity and emotional regulation.
Allison Dunn
CEO, Head Business & Executive Coach, Deliberate Directions
Imaginal Container: A CEO’s Mental Reset
As the CEO of an anxiety and trauma counseling practice, managing my own stress isn’t optional—it’s essential. I need to be able to truly disconnect from the demands of work in order to rest and reset. One mindfulness practice I regularly use—both with clients and for myself—is the imaginal container. At the end of the day, I mentally “deposit” any lingering stress or unfinished tasks into this container. I’m not ignoring them—I know they’re there—but I’m intentionally setting them aside so my brain can downshift and I can be present with my family. If those stressors resurface at home, I gently remind myself to put them back in the container—a simple act that helps me stay grounded and fully present. By giving myself permission to step away mentally, I return to work the next day with more clarity and focus.
Lauran Hahn
Owner and Clinical Director, Mindful Living Counseling Orlando
Box Breathing: A CEO’s Calm Under Pressure
As a CEO navigating the constant flux of business decisions, I’ve found that incorporating mindfulness is less about disconnecting and more about creating space to recenter. One practice I’ve leaned on consistently is box breathing, a technique used even by Navy SEALs to stay calm under pressure. Inhaling for 4 seconds, holding for 4, exhaling for 4, and holding again for 4, repeated for just a few minutes, has a measurable impact on my ability to focus and think clearly. It’s deceptively simple, but powerful. In high-stakes environments, this kind of mental reset can be the difference between reacting and responding. Over time, it’s helped me bring more clarity, composure, and empathy into how I lead.
Anupa Rongala
CEO, Invensis Technologies
Body Scan: A CEO’s Midday Rejuvenation Practice
As a CEO, I’m always juggling multiple demands, and it’s easy to get lost in the urgent tasks and overlook the important ones. Stepping away from it all, even briefly, creates a moment of quiet in my day. It’s often during these respites that I have my best ideas.
I achieve this in various ways. When I work from home, I’m fortunate to live in an area of natural beauty, and a quick stroll in nature works wonders. But what about when I’m stuck in the middle of a city?
I first discovered body scan meditation through a relaxation course run by Jon Kabat-Zinn. I’ve now made it a daily part of my routine. A full body scan takes around half an hour, and while I’d love to do one every day, my actual routine consists of a five-minute body scan in the middle of the afternoon.
To do a body scan, sit or lie in a comfortable position, shut your eyes, then focus on one part of your body after another. With an inbreath, focus on the toes in your left foot, feeling their warmth, the fabric around them, and any discomfort you experience in that part of your body. With your outbreath, release your awareness. Take another breath in and focus on the rest of your left foot. As you exhale, release your awareness once more. Continue like this, gradually working up one leg, then the other, then the rest of your body until you reach the top of your head.
After completing a body scan, I recommend doing a similar check-in with your emotions. People often attribute one emotion to themselves at a time; however, we can actually hold a great range of feelings simultaneously. With your eyes shut, simply list all the emotions you’re feeling in a particular moment, without trying to explain why you feel the way you do or get too attached to any one feeling. Then, on an outbreath, release your focus and ask if there are any other emotions you feel.
This may sound simple, and it is; however, the benefits are profound. At the end of a body scan, I always feel rejuvenated, my mind is clearer, and the rest of my day is more productive.
There are plenty of guided body scans online ranging from five minutes to an hour, and I suggest starting with one of those. I’m sure you will be surprised by the benefit.
Martin Woods
CEO, Indigoextra Ltd.
Quieting the Mind: A CEO’s Leadership Transformation
Yes, I incorporate mindfulness into my daily routine, but not in the traditional cross-legged, candle-lit sense. One technique that has genuinely helped me stay sharp—especially during high-stress travel or decision-heavy days—is what I call “Tactical Stillness.”
I started using it regularly after a week when everything hit at once: delayed flights, sleep-deprived parenting, and a major product decision looming. I couldn’t carve out 30 minutes for meditation—but I could find seven.
Here’s how it works:
I use the 4-7-8 breathing rhythm (inhale for 4, hold for 7, exhale for 8), paired with a silent phrase that helps me reset:
“Observe – Don’t own – Let go.”
Sometimes I’ll layer in 40Hz binaural tones to quiet mental noise—especially when I need to shift gears quickly. Seven minutes is enough. It interrupts the cortisol spiral and gives me a second wind of clarity.
You don’t need a perfect setting to practice mindfulness. Design something that fits your real life—short, repeatable, and focused not on calm, but on clarity. For me, that has been the difference between reacting and responding.
Murray Seaton
Founder and CEO of Hypervibe / Health & Fitness Entrepreneur, Hypervibe (Vibration Plates)
Mental Clearing: A CEO’s Path to Alignment
As a CEO and leader, learning to quiet my mind has paid huge dividends for me, my employees, and our company culture.
My mindfulness journey began during a trip to the Peruvian Amazon in 2017 when I discovered the therapeutic value of soul-saving quiet. Each day in the jungle, removed from the chaotic onslaught of the never-ending information and “to-do” treadmill, I connected with an inner voice I’d never known. Without all the distractions that continuously vied for my attention, I was left with a progressive sense of quiet that began to feel like the missing piece all along.
As a follower of Jon Kabat-Zinn, I’d been familiar with the concept of mindful meditation, but without the practice itself, it remained just that, a concept. Intent on not losing that magical feeling of inner peace and tranquility, I began my mind-quieting meditation practice.
As time progressed, I became more successful at carving out daily time to sit quietly with myself, concentrating on my breath and clearing my mind. Eventually, sitting quietly for 15 minutes to an hour became a habit, and my practice began bearing fruit.
The value of learning to quiet my mind cannot be overstated. This clarity has transformed my leadership abilities, from making strategic decisions under pressure to managing complex organizational challenges. My ability to process emotions in real time, gain clarity in decision-making, and be more present when listening to others has significantly improved with daily mindful meditation.
Becoming more mindful has substantially enhanced my listening and empathic skills, central to my “CEO skills.” This practice has strengthened my strategic thinking and helped me navigate international business decisions with greater confidence, making me a more effective leader in both smooth and challenging times.
During the 2020 pandemic, feeling everyone’s anxiety ramp up exponentially, I began offering voluntary Friday morning guided meditation over Zoom. Everyone participated, allowing me to share what had become life-changing for me.
This practice has also made it easier to break bad habits and form productive ones. Connecting with myself has improved my self-worth and self-care routines, enhancing my effectiveness as both a leader and a person.
Scott Wasserman, M.D.
CEO and Founder, LiLash Beauty
Guided Meditation: A CEO’s Nightly Refresh
Yes, mindfulness is a non-negotiable part of my daily routine as a CEO. One practice I come back to consistently is a technique I call “mental clearing.” It’s a five-minute seated mindfulness practice where I close my eyes, focus on my breath, and simply observe what’s coming up—without trying to fix it. I imagine each thought like a cloud passing through, and I return to the rhythm of my breathing when my mind wanders. It sounds simple, but it creates so much space—for clarity, calm, and creative problem-solving.
Mindfulness isn’t just about stress relief—it’s about creating internal spaciousness so I can lead from a grounded, intuitive place. That’s where real alignment happens.
Tayelor Kennedy
Wellness Expert & Entrepreneur, Tayelor Kennedy
Pause-and-Land: A CEO’s Micro-Mindfulness Practice
Mindfulness is a non-negotiable part of my routine, especially at night.
Before bed, I do a short guided meditation or body scan to clear my mind, reset, and wake up in a better frame of mind. My go-to is a $0.99 “Wake Up Refreshed” track from iTunes, which I’ve used almost every night for years. It’s simple, but it truly helps me sleep better, stress less, and start the next day focused and refreshed.
Carey Bentley
CEO, Lifehack Method
Huangting Zen: A CEO’s Journey to Inner Peace
One of the unique challenges of being a CEO and business owner—especially in the mental health space—is the constant mental toggling between holding vision, supporting others, and managing the details. It can feel like you’re always on—even during downtime, your mind is running through to-do lists, future planning, or that one email you forgot to send.
To counteract this, I’ve found that mindfulness isn’t optional—it’s essential. But it doesn’t have to be formal or time-consuming. One of the most powerful techniques I use daily is what I call a “pause-and-land” practice.
Throughout the day, especially between meetings or transitions, I take 60 seconds to pause, close my eyes if I can, feel my feet on the ground, and take three slow breaths. I bring attention to the sensation of the air entering and leaving my body, and gently ask myself, “What’s here right now?” This helps me move from reaction mode into response mode—and come back into the present moment with clarity.
As a trauma therapist, I know how quickly the nervous system can shift into overdrive. Practicing these micro-moments of mindfulness keeps me regulated, improves focus, and reminds me that I can lead without burning out. We don’t always need more time—we need more presence.
Erena DiGonis
Psychotherapist and Continuing Education Provider, EngagedMinds Continuing Education
Stress Scrubbing: A CEO’s Energy Management Technique
As the CEO of an e-commerce company, I am very busy at work every day. The high-intensity work often makes my muscles and nerves throughout my body tense. I am very dissatisfied with this physical state. Fortunately, there is mindfulness meditation. My first exposure to meditation was through the meditation music “Huangting Zen meditation” originated by Taiwanese teacher Zhang Defen, which allowed me to enter the world of meditation and slowly master the skills of this ancient wisdom.
Now, before meditating, I do some stretching exercises to relax my muscles first, and then use a cross-legged sitting posture to start meditation. I keep my entire spine straight and focus on my breathing. At the same time, I stop all my thoughts. At this moment, there is only breathing. I forget all thoughts and forget my own existence. Paying attention to breathing is the key to meditation.
Slowly, you will find that your whole body and mind are relaxed, and you will enter a wonderful state. Don’t worry about it; continue to pay attention to your breathing. Don’t have any other thoughts, only breathe. When you enter a state of extreme concentration, your body will start its self-healing system. This is some of my experience and skills in practicing meditation over the years.
Jiahua Xu
CEO, Chaozhou Dofo Tea Co., Ltd.
Subconscious Dialogue: A CEO’s Clarity Tool
As Co-Founder and President of a professional development and education company, I have found mindfulness practice to be the single most important tool I personally use for energy management, focus, and stress reduction. At the beginning of each day, and occasionally throughout, I practice Core Centering®, which is a mindfulness-based somatic practice employing three primary points of focus: body, breath, and vision.
My favorite Core Centering® technique is called “stress scrubbing.” It begins by mindfully tapping and rubbing through a series of acupressure points that balance the autonomic nervous system, enhance circulation, and release anxious energy. The acupressure circuit is followed by a set of whole-body shaking and audible sighing that noticeably reduces accumulated body tension and improves breathing.
Lastly, I settle into a mindful body scan, directing my attention to areas of my body that feel more vital and inviting those sensations to overflow into areas of my body that feel less than ideal. By first addressing accumulated body tension and then following with conscious breathing, the mind tends to become clearer, more focused, and relaxed. I both use “stress scrubbing” personally and also teach it to my students and clients.
Brian Trzaskos
Director of Education, Somatic Coaching Academy
Micro-Practices: A CEO’s Stress Prevention Strategy
As a practitioner of remedial hypnosis, my go-to method for stress reduction and mental clarity is something a little different from traditional mindfulness or meditation—I use direct communication with my subconscious mind.
If I’m feeling off, unfocused, or tense, I can ask my subconscious what it needs from me, or what I might be ignoring. This kind of self-inquiry bypasses the noise of overthinking and taps into a deeper, more instinctive intelligence.
It’s calming, grounding, and laser-focused—far more effective than passive meditation when the mind is busy or overwhelmed. For me, it’s not about switching off—it’s about listening more intelligently to what’s already there.
For my clients, teaching this technique is an integral part of the three-session program. My aim is not to have a database of repeat clients dependent on my skills, but instead clients who can have that ongoing dialogue with the deepest part of their mind.
Sarah Wellband
Remedial Hypnotist, Out of Chaos Therapy
Three Questions: A CEO’s Stress-Busting Technique
The key to success is consistency, so the practice through The Pause Breathe Reflect app offers practical and business-related micro-practices that help develop a consistent practice so stress doesn’t build up. This provides an opportunity to think clearly and focus on the priorities of the day.
Michael OBrien
Executive Coach, Speaker, Meditation Teacher, Peloton Executive Coaching
Breath Focus: A CEO’s Path to Presence
Feeling stressed? Pause and ask yourself these 3 questions:
1. What are the actual facts of this situation?
2. What options do I have beyond my fear-based reactions?
3. Which choice best serves me, the situation, or my company?
Mitra Manesh
Senior Mindfulness Educator & Executive Coach
Mindfulness: A CEO’s Tool for Clarity
Absolutely—I’ve found it necessary, not optional, to incorporate meditative practices into my daily routine to unwind and reset as a CEO.
There’s a lot constantly coming at me—decisions, responsibilities, deadlines. But I’ve learned that if I don’t make time to clear space in my mind, everything starts to feel heavier than it really is. For me, mindfulness is less about adding something extra to my day and more about making room for clarity and presence.
One technique I return to often is a simple deep breathing practice. I’ll sit still, close my eyes, and just focus on my breath. Inhale for four counts, hold for four, exhale for four. I do this until I feel my shoulders drop, my thoughts settle, and my heartbeat slow.
But it’s more than just breathing. It’s about opening my mind to hear that little voice inside—the one that gets drowned out in all the noise. I let go of the to-do list, the worries, the things I can’t control. I come back to right now.
Ironically, the only time I feel truly in control is when I let go of control. That surrender—allowing things to just be for a few minutes—gives me the focus and clarity I need to lead effectively.
Mindfulness doesn’t always look like sitting on a cushion or meditating for an hour. Sometimes, it’s five intentional breaths before a meeting or a few quiet moments in the car before walking into a big conversation. It’s those little practices that make a big difference over time.
For any leader who feels overwhelmed or scattered—I’d say, try letting go just long enough to come back to yourself. You’ll be surprised at how much clearer things become.
Elisha Peterson MD MEd FAAP FASA
Anesthesiologist and Pain Medicine Physician, Elisha Peterson MD PLLC