Mindfulness and breathing exercises reduce stress and support goal progress
Motivation and Emotion March 3, 2026 Cathleen Kappes, Charlotte Heier, Daniel J. Schad
A four-week randomized controlled trial compared daily 6-12-minute audio mindfulness exercises, breathing exercises, and a waitlist control among 197 participants (mean age 25.5 years, range 18–72; 86% female). Both intervention groups reported greater goal progress than the control group. Perceived stress and emotional reactivity decreased in both intervention groups, but only the decrease in stress was associated with greater goal progress. Autonomous goal motivation did not influence change in goal progress. The results indicate that stress-reducing techniques support goal achievement, although specific mindfulness exercises do not appear to play a special role.