Mindfulness has become a “hot topic” and typically is connected with meditation. Another western approach to mindfulness has been pioneered by Dr. Ellen Langer of Harvard University.
Dr. Langer argues that mindfulness is the conscious questioning of categories and an active mindset characterized by novel distinction drawing that results in being:
- Situated in the present
- Sensitive to context and perspective
- Guided (but not governed) by rules and routines
In my work with Ellen Langer, we find that mindfulness increases psychological well-being. People are happier because they can reappraise negative events more easily. Mindfulness also has been shown to impact your physical well-being.
Our research finds that people live longer and are healthier, and enjoy life more when aging. One particularly interesting result we found was that pregnant women that are more mindful gave birth to healthier babies. Managers that are more mindful therefore produce better results and have higher levels of trust in their organization, innovate more and are happier with themselves.
The following are some recent articles and papers.
Michael Pirson 