A clear head when everything is burning

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Mindfulness for teams: programmes that bring focus to everyday working life.

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1. Two programmes, one goal

Since this year, I have been a certified Momentum trainer, which complements my CEB training from 2017. The reason for a second programme is simple: 42 hours of CEB is simply too much for some companies. Momentum, on the other hand, is more compact, evidence-based and easier to integrate into everyday working life.

Both programmes teach mindfulness and emotional competence, but in different ways. I consider this a useful addition – not because CEB doesn’t work, but because different contexts require different formats.

2. Especially now, not despite it

Development budgets are being cut everywhere, which is understandable given the economic pressure. However, I consider these cuts to be a mistake when it comes to mindfulness programmes.

When uncertainty prevails, stress levels rise. Employees worry about their future, make poorer decisions and communicate in a more irritable manner – the team suffers, the work suffers. This is precisely when tools are needed to deal with pressure.

My experience shows that mindfulness is not a wellness measure, but stabilises teams under pressure. Burnout or a failed project ultimately costs more than any training course.

3. My path

I have been an IT consultant for almost 30 years and know the pressure of complex projects from my daily work in architecture, cloud and project management. At the same time, I have been meditating daily since 2006.

The beginning goes back further: in the 1990s, I learned Ki no Kenkyukai Aikido with its breathing and meditation exercises from Helmut Vogler in Berlin. However, the real breakthrough came after a sabbatical in South America, when I followed an inner impulse and stuck with it.

In the years that followed, I studied with Alan Wallace and Tsoknyi Rinpoche before completing the CEB trainer training in 2017. Since then, I have been offering mindfulness training, especially for IT teams. What interests me is the connection between Eastern practice and Western working life – especially in the technology industry, I see how valuable inner clarity can be.

4. Why Momentum?

CEB goes deep: Paul Ekman’s emotion research combined with Alan Wallace’s meditations results in 42 hours of intensive work on emotional awareness and regulation.

Momentum is designed differently. The programme spans six weeks with shorter units and is optimised for both online and in-person formats. It integrates neuroscience, positive psychology and organisational psychology, supported by an app and a buddy system.

I consider Momentum to be better suited for introducing mindfulness in the workplace, while CEB remains my first choice for deeper emotional work.

5. A clear head when everything is on fire

Imagine an IT team under deadline pressure – restructuring, two resignations. During a break, someone asks, ‘Why are we talking about breathing when the project is blowing up in our faces?’

The question is justified. My answer would be, “That’s exactly why. When everything is on fire, you need a clear head. ”

I’m familiar with such objections from my work. No one completely changes their mind after a workshop. But those who take away a specific technique and use it have gained something. That’s realistic: mindfulness is not a miracle cure, but practice.

6. My first insights

When I started with CEB in 2017, I thought good content would speak for itself. That was naive.

Companies need connectivity: 45-minute slots, measurable results, no esotericism. Momentum meets these requirements better than CEB, which is why I am happy to be able to offer both tools today.

7. Takeaways

  1. Mindfulness stabilises – especially under pressure, not despite it.
  2. The format must be right – Momentum for getting started, CEB for in-depth work.
  3. Qualifications count – pay attention to practical experience, not just certificates.
  4. IT is my context – I understand the specific challenges.
  5. Practice takes time – a workshop is a start, not a result.

I have been listed as a momentum trainer since mid-2025. Contact me – together we will find the right format for your team.

8. Further information

9. About the author

Andreas Wittmann is an IT consultant and mindfulness trainer from Hamburg. He has been practising meditation since 2006 and has been a CEB trainer since 2017, Momentum trainer since 2025.

Contact: | https://anwi.gmbh