Mindfulness and Intentionality

One of the most effective ways to ensure that we are taking care of our “human side” is to practice mindfulness and intentionality as we navigate our days both at work and at home. 

Mindfulness refers to the “basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we're doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us” (mindful.org). While you might be rolling your eyes and envisioning some monk sitting cross-legged in a deep meditation, mindfulness can be much more than that! 

Intentionality refers to the principle of “acting with thought, and with the knowledge that what we appreciate (i.e. have our intentions focused on) will grow if we keep our attention and intentions focused on it.” In other words, being intentional means getting clear up front about what you want to achieve (vision, purpose, goals) and then making decisions that align with those (www.thriveglobal.com, 2020; Turner, 2017). 

How are Mindfulness and Intentionality related? 

By being mindful, we can continue to navigate our daily lives in such a way that we find ourselves responding to the world around us, instead of reacting. By being more responsive rather than reactive, we are more intentional, which means that we are more likely to make choices that align with our values and goals, thus setting us up to be more fulfilled long term. 

Does it really work?

Researchers have found that employees who practice mindfulness had lower levels of perceived stress and burnout, higher levels of attentional focus, perceived well-being, perceived work climate, and personal productivity  (Kersemaekers, et al., 2018; www.mindful.org). In addition, faculty who are doing work that they find meaningful to them experience lower levels of burnout and higher feelings of fulfillment (Amabile & Kramer, 2011).