Meditation has long shed its Buddhist roots to become a secular answer to all of our ills in the West, with numerous studies finding benefits like reduced stress and better concentration.

RHODES, GREECE – JULY 16: A woman Exercises on the beach at Sunset. on July 16, 2009 in Rhodes, Greece. Rhodes is the largest of the Greek Dodecanes Islands. (Photo by EyesWideOpen/Getty Images)

Some of the world’s biggest firms, including Google and Nike, have embraced the practice, using meditation programmes as a way of tackling stress, staff turnover and absenteeism.

Meditation is also used as a tool to motivate workers, partly thanks to research on the relationship between wellbeing and productivity. But a new study suggests that mindfulness meditation, a popular type of meditation that practises being aware in the present, may not be the best way to increase your motivation at work.