Uncertainty is an inevitable part of human life and affects well-being adversely. Due to the sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic across the globe, there was a fear of uncertainty. It had a huge impact on life and living. To contain the spread of the virus, various measures were adopted. These measures centred around physical distancing, working from home, and avoiding gatherings. Such measures challenged the basis of man as a social animal. These measures made life challenging and uncertain. The human mind is intolerant to uncertainty. Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is a cognitive bias that influences an individual’s perception and reaction. It also affects well-being adversely. We hypothesised that in such challenging times, in an environment of uncertainty, the practice of gratitude and mindfulness would influence the relationship between IU and well-being in a positive manner.
To test the hypotheses formulated for the study, data were collected from 283 working professionals. A questionnaire-based survey was used to measure and analyse the path coefficients among IU (prospective and inhibitory anxiety (IA)), mindfulness, gratitude and well-being. Partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyse the data and interpret the results. The findings suggest that IU (both prospective and inhibitory) has a negative impact on well-being. Gratitude and mindfulness practices mediate the relationship between IA and well-being, but no significant mediation effect was found in the relationship between prospective anxiety (PA) and well-being. Gratitude and mindfulness practices proved useful mechanisms to combat IA. Thus, the study helps conclude that practising gratitude and mindfulness in the workplace could help reduce the negative impact of IU on well-being.
