What do we gain by adding time perspective to mindfulness? Carpe Diem and mindfulness in a temporal framework

•Mindfulness and Carpe Diem time perspective do not correlate with each other.•Mindfulness refers to the form of action, CD — to the content aspect of action.•Mindfulness and CD interaction has a positive effect on the basic needs satisfaction.

Researchers studying mindfulness point to the need for studies and analyses explaining and specifying the nature of this variable as compared to other similar constructs. The aim of this article is to examine the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and the Carpe Diem time perspective (CD) and their predictive value with reference to eudaimonic well-being, namely authenticity and basic needs satisfaction. The participants were 238 Poles (138 female and 100 male, aged 15 to 65 years). We obtained results suggesting that mindfulness and CD are separate constructs that do not correlate with each other. We point out that mindfulness is mainly concerned with the form of awareness, while CD is concerned with its content. The interaction of these two variables has a particularly positive effect on the functioning that enables the satisfaction of basic psychological needs.