How can mindfulness be promoted? Workload and recovery experiences as antecedents of daily fluctuations in mindfulness.
Ute R Hülsheger, Alicia Walkowiak, Marie S Thommes
Journal of occupational and organizational psychology March 4, 2018 DOI: 10.1111/joop.12206 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experience-sampling study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Duration | Five workdays, three daily measurement occasions |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Fatigue Workload Sleep quality Psychological detachment |
| Key points | Sleep quality and workload were related to subsequent levels of state mindfulness. Psychological detachment was not directly related to mindfulness but was indirectly related via sleep quality, with fatigue identified as an important mechanism. The authors argue that the relationship between mindfulness and recovery experiences is reciprocal rather than unidirectional, suggesting gain spirals. |
Abstract
While previous work on mindfulness has focused predominantly on the benefits of mindfulness and of mindfulness interventions, the present article addresses the question of how natural experiences of mindfulness can be promoted in the context of work. Accordingly, this article sheds light on day-to-day fluctuations in workload and recovery experiences (psychological detachment and sleep quality) as antecedents of state mindfulness. Furthermore, this study extends extant research that has documented beneficial effects of mindfulness on subsequent recovery experiences by arguing that the relationship between mindfulness and recovery experiences is reciprocal rather than unidirectional. Using an experience-sampling design across five workdays and involving three daily measurement occasions, we found that sleep quality and workload were related to subsequent levels of mindfulness. While not displaying a significant direct relationship with mindfulness, psychological detachment was indirectly related to mindfulness via sleep quality. Fatigue was identified as an important mechanism explaining these relationships. Furthermore, findings confirmed that the relationship between mindfulness and recovery experiences is reciprocal rather than unidirectional. Taken together, this study contributes to an enriched understanding of the role of mindfulness in organizations by shedding light on factors that precede the experience of mindfulness and by pointing to the existence of gain spirals associated with recovery experiences and mindfulness. Practitioner points: Organizations seeking to promote mindfulness among their workforce should try to keep workload to a manageable degree.Organizations may also pay attention to care for employees' day-to-day recovery as it has been shown to facilitate mindfulness.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cited by 8
- Revisiting the Role of Mindfulness Practices for Stress Reduction: An Empirical Study FIIB Business Review March 8, 2026
- From Mindfulness to Flow in the Coronavirus Pandemic: Investigating the mediating role of psychological capital and coping competence. (a cross-sectional study of pre-Hospital Emergency staff) Research Square May 5, 2023
- Contextualizing Mindfulness at Work: Strengthening the Scientific Evidence Journal of Organizational Behavior July 12, 2026
- Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy with Hospitalized Depressed Individuals–The Temporal Order of Change in Mindfulness, Rumination, and Affect Journal of Happiness Studies August 1, 2025
- Mindflow in crisis: the mediating role of psychological capital and coping competence between mindfulness and flow during COVID-19. Research Square August 8, 2023
and 3 more in the library
Cites 7
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Mechanisms of mindfulness Journal of Clinical Psychology December 29, 2005
- Contemplating Mindfulness at Work Journal of Management November 19, 2015
- Mindfulness and psychological process. Emotion February 1, 2010
and 2 more in the library