This paper examines mindfulness as a costless cognitive asset in reducing stress and improving subjective well-being and psychological well-being among Malaysian bottom-forty-percent and middle-forty-percent income earners, known as B40 and M40, respectively. The participants recruited for this experimental study were divided into intervention and control groups and completed pre- and post-assessment questionnaires. The leveraging on digital technologies during pandemic times from May to June 2021 enabled participants in the intervention group (n = 95) to undergo four weekly online mindfulness intervention sessions through Google Meet and completed daily home mindfulness practices using the mobile application for mindfulness: the MindFi version 3.8.0 mobile app. Based on the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, the intervention group’s mindfulness and well-being levels increased significantly after four weeks. This outcome contrasted to those in the control group (n = 31), who exhibited lower mindfulness and well-being levels. The PLS-SEM structural model consists of mindfulness as an independent variable, subjective and psychological well-being as dependent variables, and perceived stress and financial desire discrepancies as the mediators. This model has a goodness-of-fit of 0.076, proving that it is a fit and strong model. There is a positive relationship between mindfulness and subjective well-being (β = 0.162, p-value < 0.01). This model supports the mediation effect of perceived stress between mindfulness and subjective well-being variables (β = 0.152, p-value < 0.05). The overall structural model implies that the effectiveness of mindfulness intervention training not only enhanced bottom- and middle-income earners’ well-being but also lowered the perceived stress level that, henceforth, brought the mind and body together in the present moment.

Stress is a natural response to being unable to cope with specific demands and events. Even though it is a well-known fact that almost everyone is facing stress, discussing stress is still taboo. Stress has been something everyone has been expected to 'adapt to' since 'everyone else is doing it.' Day by day, people feel burdened and pressured, wanting to handle their stress yet feeling like they meet dead ends. Stress sparks emotional tension, growing tiredness, overstrain, and discomfort, which affect one's health, both mentally and physically. However, with mindfulness practices, people learn how to focus on the present moment and tend to have the ability to be calm, leading to better reactions to stressful situations. This study is timely by exploring the implementation of mindfulness intervention in managing stress and improving well-being. In essence, mindfulness allows someone to be non-judgemental about their feelings and situations as they are in the present moment. By practicing mindfulness, people will have a better approach to managing their stress, have an accepting mind, and be happier.