ABSTRACT
There has been a proliferation of workplace mindfulness research over the last decade. In an attempt to move the literature forward, our primary recommendation is that scholars begin to consider mindfulness as one of many cognitive states, and that to fully understand its implications, we must evaluate how it relates to other cognitive states in an ongoing stream of consciousness. To do so, this chapter reviews and explores the history of the construct of mindfulness at work, how it is defined, and how it is measured. Additionally, for each of these topics, the chapter explains opportunities to evaluate mindfulness from a broader, temporal perspective. Mindfulness is one of several cognitive states which are likely to fluctuate from moment-to-moment, including flow, mind-wandering, and rumination/fascination. There is very little understanding of when, how, or why fluctuations among and transitions between these attentional states occur. This chapter reminds scholars that different states can be either beneficial or harmful, depending on the context of the work situation. As such, we call for additional research that investigates mindfulness, as well as related cognitive states, from a more holistic, temporal perspective. In particular, we discuss opportunities for temporal research grounded in the being versus doing framework, the contingency approach, and in mindfulness intervention processes.
