Unpacking Mindfulness: The Role of Monitoring and Acceptance on Workplace Stress

A canonical finding in the mindfulness literature is that mindfulness reduces stress. The literature on mindfulness has focused on the main effects of mindfulness. We introduce the bi-dimensional model of mindfulness to the organizational literature which outlines awareness and acceptance as two distinct dimensions of mindfulness. Building on the bi-dimensional model of mindfulness, we propose that mindfulness may moderate the relationship between workload and stress and subsequently, stress to workplace outcomes. Specifically, across two studies using the experiencing sampling methodology, we find that the acceptance dimension of mindfulness moderates the relationship between workload and stress. Furthermore, the awareness dimension of mindfulness moderates the relationship between stress and workplace outcomes. These findings show the distinct paths through which mindfulness impacts organizational processes. In doing so, we provide organizational scholars greater theoretical precision with which the effects of mindfulness can be understood.