Mindfulness in the Workplace with Jason HarrisMindfulness in the Workplace with Jason Harris
Rural Roads- The RCORPodcast.
Jason Harris shares his journey with mindfulness and offers practical tools for bringing calm and awareness into the workday, especially in behavioural health settings. The conversation highlights how simple practices can support individual wellbeing and healthier workplace cultures in rural communities.
20:00•2 Sept 2026
Mindfulness at Work: Jason Harris on Stress, Calm and Workplace Culture
Episode Overview
- Mindfulness is described as purposeful, present-moment, non-judgemental awareness that can be cultivated through regular practice.
- Both formal meditation and informal practices like mindful eating, walking, or brushing teeth can reduce daily stress exposure.
- Using simple reminders, such as a sticky note that says "two to three breaths", helps build the habit of pausing and checking in during busy workdays.
- Mindful employees and leaders can influence workplace culture, supporting initiatives that reduce burnout and promote a healthier environment.
- Consistent mindfulness practice may support broader goals of community health, organisational sustainability and more thoughtful responses to workplace pressures.
“This practice is not about stopping thoughts, but about noticing when you've become distracted and returning to your intended anchor or focus.”
How do people cope with the challenges of staying sober while dealing with everyday workplace stress? This episode of Rural Roads: The RCORPodcast brings that question into focus through a practical chat about mindfulness at work. Host Aisha Tilakamara speaks with Jason Harris, a technical expert lead at JBS International and a long-time mindfulness practitioner with a background in clinical mental health counselling, public administration, and statewide work on opioid and substance use treatment services.
Jason’s journey started with noticing "suffering in people around me" and wanting to understand why mental health and substance use issues hit families and communities so hard. For anyone working in behavioural health, especially RCORP grantees in rural areas, this conversation offers simple ways to bring more calm into busy days.
Jason explains mindfulness using Jon Kabat-Zinn’s definition of "the awareness that arises from paying attention on purpose in the present moment and non-judgmentally" and shows how both formal and informal practices can ease chronic stress – a major factor in long-term health problems. You’ll hear a short guided breath awareness practice you can follow along with, plus everyday ideas like mindful eating, walking, and Jason’s favourite sticky-note reminder that just says "two to three breaths".
Aisha shares her own stress signals at work – tense shoulders, leaning into the screen, skipping lunch – making the whole discussion feel relatable for anyone who’s juggled deadlines and emotional strain. Jason also talks about how mindful employees and leaders can shift workplace culture through things like no-meeting days, drop-in mindfulness sessions, and health-focused initiatives, all aimed at reducing burnout and supporting staff who may also be carrying the weight of addiction-related work.
If you’ve ever thought, "I don’t have time to relax at work," this episode might have you asking instead: what small mindful pause could I add to my day today?
Do you want to link to this podcast?
Get the buttons here!
More From This Show
The latest episodes from the same podcast.