Mindfulness buffers the deleterious effects of workaholism for work-family conflict

Abstract

Rationale: Workaholism logically corresponds to the experience of work-family conflict (WFC) which is associated with a wide variety of negative employee outcomes. Finding ways to mitigate the occurrence of workaholism and/or lessen its deleterious effects on the work-family interface is practically important. Mindfulness research may hold some promise in this regard.

Objective: We explore the potential that mindfulness - through its association with accuracy and salience of present moment experience and disengagement from automatic thoughts and debilitating behavior - may buffer the effects of workaholic tendencies on the experience of WFC.

Methods: We use a two-study design (total n = 1022) to examine the role of dispositional mindfulness and mindfulness practice on the workaholism-WFC relationship.

Results: Results suggest that (1) trait mindfulness buffers the workaholism-WFC relationship (Study 1; n = 307), and that (2) mindfulness practice and mindfulness training similarly buffer this relationship (Study 2; n = 715).

Conclusion: Mindfulness effectively serves as a buffer in the relationship between workaholism and WFC.

Keywords: Mindfulness practice; Trait mindfulness; Work-family conflict; Workaholism.