When you are going through a period of stress, especially at work, it is better to look to the future than to try to live in the present moment, according to a team of researchers.
- When faced with difficult situations or periods in life, hope may be more beneficial than mindfulness in helping us manage stress, according to a new study.
- “Hope is inherently future-oriented, while mindfulness is about experiencing the present situation.”
- “When people are hopeful, they experience less distress, are more engaged in their work, and feel less tension related to their work life.”
When faced with difficult situations or periods in life, particularly at work, hope may be more beneficial than mindfulness in helping us manage stress. In other words, to be less prone to anxiety, it is better to look to the future than to live “in the present moment.” At least that’s what a new study published in the journal Stress and Health.
Mindfulness of the present or hope for the future?
As a reminder, mindfulness refers to an individual’s ability to focus their full attention on the present moment, in an open, curious and non-judgmental manner. “There is a lot of debate about the benefits of mindfulness, but it poses two difficulties when you are going through times of stress”explain the scientists behind the study, from several American universities, in a press release. “On the one hand, it’s hard to be fully aware when you’re stressed. On the other hand, if it’s a really difficult time, you don’t want to dwell on the experience you’re going through any longer than that.”
“Hope is inherently future-oriented, while mindfulness is about experiencing the present situation: we wanted to see how each of these two mindsets could influence people’s well-being and professional engagement during difficult times, continue the researchers. But the Covid-19 pandemic gave us an opportunity to explore this topic, and we chose to focus on the performing arts, a sector particularly affected by the pandemic.”
A comparative study conducted among 247 musicians
As part of their work, the researchers recruited 247 professional musicians from the MusiCares organization to complete two surveys, one month apart. The first was conducted in September 2021: participants were asked to share their thoughts and experiences at the start of the pandemic, from March to August 2020, but also to self-assess how hopeful and/or mindful they were between September 2020 and March 2021. The second survey, conducted in October 2021, aimed to find out their level of professional engagement and work tensions, the positive (or not) aspect of their emotions and any distress they might be feeling.
Hope is more associated with happiness
The researchers then used statistical techniques to identify relationships between hope, mindfulness, and outcomes related to their individual well-being and work behaviors. As a result, it appeared that “Basically, hope was associated with people’s happiness, and mindfulness was not.”. “When people are hopeful, they experience less distress, are more engaged in their work, and feel less tension related to their work life. […] People had to stay hopeful while being aware, focusing on the fact that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.”
Although the study focused on a cohort of musicians in a very circumstantial pandemic context, it could, according to its authors, be applied to all employment sectors. “Whenever we experience significant levels of stress at work, it is crucial to have hope and look to the future. […] Every company should invest (in working conditions, communication, etc.) so that its employees are happy in their work.”
