MBSR at Work: Perspectives from an Instructor and Software Developers
arXiv Preprint Archive June 13, 2025 Simone Romano, Alberto Conforti, Gloria Guidetti et al.
Software developers who took part in a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program at a multinational company reported personal improvements despite initial skepticism, but integrating the techniques into their daily work remained difficult. The qualitative study, based on interviews with developers and the program instructor, explored how MBSR—a practice that helps individuals manage stress—was perceived in the software development context, where stressors like time pressure and task uncertainty are common. This is the first investigation of MBSR in a software development setting, and the findings highlight both the potential benefits and the challenges of applying mindfulness practices in such high-pressure work environments.