True presence starts with intentional pauses. In CEO Official Magazine, Adriana Cowdin, CEO of Be Bold Executive Coaching, shares how embracing stillness—like taking morning coffee without devices and closing her office door at day’s end—creates space between her professional and personal roles. Her mindfulness practices are a reminder that disconnecting isn’t about doing less, but about being more fully where you are.
Embrace Stilness to Disconnect from Work
As a CEO, it’s far too easy to let work seep into every corner of your life. I’ve learned that staying present—actually being where my feet are—requires some intentional habits. First, I physically close my office door at the end of the day. Not seeing my desk or what’s waiting for me helps me draw a clear mental line between “work” and “everything else.” I also drink my morning coffee outside—no laptop, no phone, just me, the sky, and the ocean breeze. And I walk. A lot. No podcasts, no phone calls—just movement and paying attention to what’s around me.
Interestingly enough, I used to count podcasts or business books as leisure. But at some point, I realized I was still in “input mode,” and my brain wasn’t actually relaxing. Now, I think of mindfulness as less of a technique and more of a commitment—to stillness, to quiet, to letting my mind catch up with my body. It’s not perfect, but it works. And that’s enough.
