The Role of Mindfulness in Daily Experiences of Patience and Impatience

Success in life often requires patience. However, little is known about patience as a psychological process outside of research on temporal discounting, and even less is known about the experience of impatience. Across three studies, we tested the role of mindfulness in daily experiences of patience and impatience.

Across studies, multilevel models revealed robust associations between daily mindfulness, reduced impatience, and bolstered patience. In Study 3, participants in the mindfulness condition perceived frustrating delays as less objectionable, felt more motivated and able to respond with patience during these days, and ultimately responded more patiently.

Findings suggest that mindfulness promotes patience during everyday delays, in part by shaping delay appraisals and increasing motivation to respond patiently, although effects on impatience were less consistent.

These studies were not preregistered.