Nature and Mindfulness to Cope with Work-Related Stress: A Narrative Review.
Elisa Menardo, Donatella Di Marco, Sara Ramos, Margherita Brondino, Alicia Arenas, Patricia Costa, Carlos Vaz de Carvalho, Margherita Pasini
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health May 13, 2022 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19105948 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | Mindfulness-based practices Nature-based practices |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Adaptation, psychological Stress, psychological Workplace Occupational stress Nature Work-related stress |
| Key findings | Argues that mindfulness-based practices and contact with nature can help employees cope with work-related stress, and proposes a combined model of mindfulness in nature-based practices. The authors state that mindfulness techniques are effective stress-management tools and that restorative workplaces with natural elements reduce stress and fatigue and improve work performance. |
Abstract
In recent years, work-related stress has grown exponentially and the negative impact that this condition has on people's health is considerable. The effects of work-related stress can be distinguished in those that affect workers (e.g., depression and anxiety) and those that affect the company (e.g., absenteeism and productivity). It is possible to distinguish two types of prevention interventions. Individual interventions aim at promoting coping and individual resilience strategies with the aim of modifying cognitive assessments of the potential stressor, thus reducing its negative impact on health. Mindfulness techniques have been found to be effective stress management tools that are also useful in dealing with stressful events in the workplace. Organizational interventions modify the risk factors connected to the context and content of the work. It was found that a restorative workplace (i.e., with natural elements) reduces stress and fatigue, improving work performance. Furthermore, practicing mindfulness in nature helps to improve the feeling of wellbeing and to relieve stress. In this paper, we review the role of mindfulness-based practices and of contact with nature in coping with stressful situations at work, and we propose a model of coping with work-related stress by using mindfulness in nature-based practices.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical populations | 2003 | Review | |
| Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects | 2007 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Interventions | 2016 | Review | |
| Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation | 2017 | Review | |
| Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 8
- Mapping the evidence on the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions as a stress recovery strategy in the workplace: a scoping review Cogent Psychology February 17, 2026
- Mindfulness como intervención para reducir estrés laboral y síntomas de tensión en personal de oficina Politicas Sociales Sectoriales October 12, 2026
- Effects of a combined nature-based and audio-based virtual mindfulness intervention on stress and wellbeing of COVID-19 healthcare workers: a randomized controlled trial. PeerJ 2025
- Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Groups for Autistic Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial Autism in Adulthood November 26, 2025
- Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction as a Treatment for Adolescent Social Media Addiction Journal of Addictions & Offender Counseling October 24, 2025
and 3 more in the library
Cites 11
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Mindfulness Interventions Annual Review of Psychology September 30, 2016
- What does mindfulness really mean? A canonical perspective Contemporary Buddhism May 1, 2011
- The Impact of an Innovative Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program on the Health and Well-Being of Nurses Employed in a Corporate Setting Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health April 1, 2013
- A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Nature-Based Mindfulness: Effects of Moving Mindfulness Training into an Outdoor Natural Setting International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health September 2, 2019
and 6 more in the library