Mindfulness in Minutes: Outdated Advice That’s Wasting Your Energy (and What to Do Instead)

You’ve probably heard it before—those chirpy one-liners floating around Pinterest boards and influencer captions. Advice like “Just wake up earlier” or “Manifest it, babe.”

But let’s be real: for female founders, solopreneurs, and women balancing businesses, babies, and burnout, these mantras can feel more like gaslighting than guidance.

So today, let’s do a little mindful myth-busting.

We’re ditching the fluff and replacing it with doable, grounded mindfulness strategies for entrepreneurs who don’t have time for BS—or burnout.

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1. The Outdated: “Just wake up earlier.”

This one’s practically violent if you're a mom, a caregiver, or already running on fumes. If you want me to yell at you IMMEDIATELY, this is a great one to say to me…Sacrificing sleep for productivity is the gateway drug to burnout.

Do this instead: Build in “Micro-Moments” (AKA: Take a 10 Minute)

Think less 5am power hour and more 5-minute pockets of clarity. An easy way to add in mindfulness while waiting for coffee to brew is to try square breathing (inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4). Between Zoom calls, stretch for 90 seconds. You don’t need more hours—you need more intention.

Take a 10-Minute Tip: Think of this like a mindful “smoke” break, ha! Okay stay with me, you’re not smoking though… This is a perfect time to get up and walk around your office, read that book, meditate, rest your eyes or brain, or just take 10 minutes to yourself. 

2. The Outdated: “Manifest it.”

I love a good vision board as much as the next founder, but telling stressed-out women to “just think positive” when they’re drowning in their to-do lists, invoices, and toddlers is beyond dismissive AF.

Do this instead: Practice “Mindful Noticing”You can’t manifest a different life if you’re disconnected from the one you’re actually living. Take 60 seconds each day to ask:

• How am I feeling - Mentally, Physically, and if you practice spiritually?

• What do I need?

• What am I pretending not to notice?

Mindfulness isn’t about bypassing hard emotions—it’s about being awake to them.

3. The Outdated: “Detox from all tech.”

LOL okay, sure—just go off-grid and stop running your business. Sounds totally realistic, right? We need our phones, apps, and platforms. The problem isn’t tech. It’s our relationship with it. Unless you ask me to film myself for a social media campaign, my phone is attached to my body. 

Do this instead: Curate Your Tech Experience.

• Turn off non-essential notifications.

• Move social media apps off your home screen.

• Use your phone’s Focus Mode during deep work.

Mindfulness for modern entrepreneurs means intentionally integrating tech—not pretending we can live without it.

4. The Outdated: “Positive vibes only.”

Toxic positivity is still toxicity. If you’ve ever forced yourself to smile through a personal struggle, business flop, or a breakdown just to keep up appearances—you know how damaging this advice can be.

Do this instead: Feel it, Name it, Move it.

• Feel it: Let the emotion exist. Cry. Rage-clean your kitchen.

• Name it: “This is disappointment.” “This is fear.”

• Move it: Take a walk. Shake it out. Journal for 5 minutes.

Processing emotions is part of the entrepreneurial job description. Avoiding them doesn’t make you stronger—it makes you stuck in the bullsh*t.

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Final Thoughts

You don’t need more rules to follow—you need more reality in your mindfulness. The world has changed, and so have we. It’s time we let our advice catch up.

Give yourself permission to un-follow advice that doesn’t serve the season you’re in. Mindfulness should support your actual life—not an idealized version of it.

You are courageous. You are capable. You are strong. You are also allowed to take shortcuts, rest mid-day, and roll your eyes at outdated advice.