Which Mindfulness Skills Can Benefit You?

A new study examines how different aspects of mindfulness influence our emotional well-being.

BY HOORIA JAZAIERI , The Greater Good Science Center

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While there is an abundance of research supporting the benefits of mindfulness , the term mindfulness is incredibly broad. Some people cultivate mindfulness in order to hone their attention and focus, while others see it as a tool for a kinder attitude and more intentional behavior. While seemingly simple, practicing mindfulness actually involves a variety of skills.

In a study published in the journal Emotion , researchers from Germany aimed to differentiate how specific components of mindfulness influenced peoples feelings in daily life. They found that when it comes to our emotions, not all mindfulness skills are created equal.

Seventy students ages 20-30 received pings via smartphone six times a day over the course of nine days. The pings included questions about the positive and negative emotions they had experienced recently, any unpleasant hassles that had occurred, and how mindful they had been, along three specific dimensions of mindfulness:

• Present-moment attention: The ability to focus on what is happening in the present (beyond your own activities).
• Nonjudgmental acceptance: Withholding judgment on your experiences, sensations, thoughts, behaviors, and emotional states (rather than agreeing with statements like I thought some of my thoughts/feelings were slightly off).
• Acting with awareness: The ability to focus your attention on your own activities rather than doing things mindlessly or automatically.

The researchers found that these different dimensions of mindfulness were linked to different benefits. First, present-moment attention was the strongest predictor for increased positive emotionsthe more attentive people said they were, the better they felt overall. Second, nonjudgmental acceptance was the strongest predictor for decreased negative emotionsthe more people reported nonjudgmental acceptance in their lives, the less negative emotion they reported experiencing.

For participants who had encountered a hassle in their day, adopting a nonjudgmental stance also seemed to protect their positive feelings (which took a bigger hit when people were less accepting of their hassles). Acting with awareness did not predict peoples positive or negative feelings beyond the other two skills.

What might explain these differences between specific components of mindfulness? When were present in our lives (yes, even for the most mundane things!), we may be better able to appreciate our experiences, look on the positive side, and notice the small things. That all becomes harder when our attention is split (e.g., due to multitasking, rumination, or just general mind-wandering). Present-moment attention may also help combat our tendency to give more mental weight to bad experiences than good ones .

In terms of nonjudgmental acceptance, decades of research on emotion regulation suggest that, paradoxically, acknowledging and accepting when negative emotions are present can actually help them to dissipate. Trying to not have negative thoughts or emotions (that are already there) just simply doesnt work .

So what does this research mean for you?

If you want to feel more positive, it might help to practice being in the present moment. For example, throughout the day you could notice when your attention wanders to thoughts about the past or anticipation of the future, and redirect your attention back to just one thinglike your breath, your body, or something in your immediate surroundings. Initially, you could also practice during one specific activity, such as brushing your teeth before bed or eating the first three bites of your lunch.

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