Raymond Cheung ‘22

Entrepreneurs play an essential role in developing innovations and redefining the way businesses operate. However, entrepreneurship is arduous and often causes entrepreneurs to work until they are exhausted to achieve their goals. Although it may not be possible to prevent exhaustion, mindfulness exercises can potentially mitigate the effect of exhaustion. Researchers at Oregon State University present promising findings of the effect of mindfulness exercises on exhaustion (1).

In the study, the researchers analyzed the responses of 105 entrepreneurs in the United States regarding their mindfulness practices, exhaustion and amount of sleep. The researchers found that more than 40% of the entrepreneurs reported working more than 50 hours and slept less than 6 hours a night. Although those who reported sleeping more hours, reported lower levels of exhaustion, those who practiced mindfulness exercises also reported lower levels. In fact, the researchers found that 10 minutes of mindfulness practice may have the same effect as 44 minutes of sleep. The researchers also found consistent results in another study with 329 entrepreneurs.

The findings of this study provide insight into exhaustion that applies not only to entrepreneurs but also to individuals who are in intensive environments. However, there are limitations to the effect of mindfulness practices on exhaustion. The researchers found that the effect is reduced if individuals feel exhausted while sleeping an adequate amount. Exhaustion can significantly hinder one’s ability to achieve their goals, which emphasizes the need for further research to find ways to mitigate the effects of exhaustion.
References

1. M. Charles, et. al., Close your eyes or open your mind: Effects of sleep and mindfulness exercises on entrepreneurs’ exhaustion. Journal of Business Venturing, (2019). doi: 10.1016/j.jbusvent.2018.12.004.  
2. Image retrieved from: https://pixabay.com/en/beauty-flower-lotus-meditation-1845520/