Programme

PGP

Term

V

Academic Year

2021-22

Course title

Mindfulness-based Happiness, Emotional Intelligence and Authentic Living

Area

Organizational Behaviour

Credits

1.00

Instructor(s)

Prof. Vishal Gupta, Prof. Shishir Arya (VF)

Course Description & Objectives

Description: Over the past decade or so, there’s been a renewed interest in well-being research from multiple groups, be it behavioural economists, public policy makers, neuroscientists or positive psychologists. While this growth in research activity is encouraging, it has not been brought into practice enough to stop the tide of an increasingly unhappy and unengaged workforce. In a recent study of Indian workforce1, close to 70% reported experiencing some form of anxiety or stress on a regular basis. Furthermore, even the structured ‘wellness’ courses and programs that currently exist in the space come from a predominantly western context leaving immense scope to customize and ‘Indianize’ well-being practices and making it more socially and culturally relevant. This course has been developed keeping in mind the existing needs and gaps in the realm of well-being and directly ties in with the immense need for helping the to-be managers build the capacity for emotional resilience and a sense of meaning in their lives. It also tries to bring out lessons in the realms of values, self-management, happiness, emotional control and authentic living by analysing a prominent cultural tale through an academic lens. The course uses mindfulness as the core concept of intervention and training. Mindfulness is defined as the art of living in the present moment non-judgmentally and with full awareness. The course introduces the participants to the idea of mindfulness, the practices that help in living mindfully, and then derives its implications for happiness, positivity, emotional stability and authentic living (being in touch with who we are and our individuality). The course is intended as a guide for individuals to manage themselves better, be more emotionally intelligent and stable, be happy and in touch with their inner selves.