Cultivating Contentment: A Mindful Exploration of Consumption Habits Among Higher Education Students in Maharashtr

Abstract

In the modern higher education landscape, students encounter a unique intersection of academic pressures, social expectations and consumer-driven lifestyles. The increasing prevalence of materialistic values and consumerism has been linked to heightened stress, anxiety and reduced life satisfaction among students. Against this backdrop, mindfulness has emerged as a transformative practice, offering tools for present-moment awareness, self-reflection and intentional decision-making. This study investigates the relationship between mindfulness, mindful consumption and life satisfaction among postgraduate management students in Maharashtra. Employing a mixed-method approach through two studies—one exploratory and one experimental—it evaluates the effects of meditation frequency and guided mindfulness interventions on consumption patterns and subjective well-being. Findings indicate that students who engaged in regular mindfulness practices demonstrated significantly higher levels of mindful consumption and life satisfaction compared to non-practitioners. Moreover, short guided meditation sessions over two months produced measurable improvements in mindfulness, reduced impulsive consumption and enhanced overall contentment. These results underscore the potential of integrating mindfulness into higher education pedagogy, not only as a tool for personal well-being but also as a strategy to counteract the adverse psychological impacts of consumerism. The study contributes to the literature on sustainable happiness, positive psychology and higher education interventions by highlighting mindfulness as a practical and culturally relevant approach for fostering contentment in student communities.