112 Chapter 5 creative problem solving and leads to narrowed or stereotypical thinking (cf. Elsbach & Hargadon, 2006; Gilbert & Hixon, 1991). Being mindful may also help individuals to performmore creatively because it involves a wide attentional breadth and increased awareness of internal and external stimuli (e.g., Brown et al., 2007; Dane, 2011), whichmay serve as relevant cues or pieces of information that promote the creative process. Finally, mindfulness may facilitate de-automatization, a process involving the discontinuation of automaticmental operations (Kang et al., 2013). The present-moment orientation and higher level of awareness that are characteristic of a mindful state help to inhibit habitual and automatic evaluations and routines, and facilitate flexible and adaptive responses to events. Consequently, a mindful state may help one to overcome dominant, but uncreative, responses and open up possibilities for fresh, creative ones (cf. Bishop et al., 2004; Brown et al., 2007; Ostafin & Kassman, 2012). Hypothesis 2: Daily mindfulness is positively related to daily creative performance. In the present research, we emphasize the importance of a proactive approach of working individuals in shaping their own work experiences (cf. Grant & Parker, 2009). People may proactively manage their vitality when they feel the need to, for example in anticipation of challenging and busy workdays, or when pursuing creative endeavors (cf. Op den Kamp et al., 2020). We argue that the use of proactive vitality management will help individuals to reach a mindful state at work, which, in turn, relates to higher levels of creative performance. Thus, we propose that mindfulness functions as an explanatory mechanism underlying the link between daily proactive vitality management and creative performance. Hypothesis 3: On a daily basis, proactive vitality management is positively related to creative performance through a state of mindfulness. STUDY 1 In Study 1, we test our hypotheses among working individuals using a quantitative diary study spanning five workdays. This approach advances earlier studies on the link between
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