How to Be More Mindful In Your Everyday Life

By now, most people have heard of mindfulness. In fact, it has become something of a buzzword applied to all kinds of things, but this does not take away from its benefits. Getting more mindfulness into your life is a tried and tested strategy for managing stress, anxiety, and the many demands of modern life. 

Although lots of people are now aware of the benefits of mindfulness, few consciously practise it. Many associate it with meditation and journaling, things which they do not have the time or interest to do. These certainly can be mindful activities, but they are far from the only ones. There are many other ways to practise mindfulness which take little time and can easily be squeezed into the busiest schedules. 

Here are some simple ways you can practise mindfulness in everyday life. 

Observe your thoughts, but don’t react

At its core, mindfulness is about noticing what is happening in the present without necessarily reacting to it. This doesn’t only mean being aware of things happening outside of your body, but paying attention to what is going on inside too. One mindfulness practice you can do anywhere in just a few seconds is to notice a thought that pops into your head. Your goal is only to acknowledge it, so don’t act on it, judge it, or try to bury it. Over time, doing this helps put some distance between your observing self and intrusive and distracting thoughts.

Focus on a single task

Multitasking is antithetical to mindfulness. It sounds counterintuitive, but it is much easier to be aware of the present moment when you are doing fewer things, not more. Find an activity which you can do on its own during your day, and where there are few external distractions, and really focus on it. Popular choices include drinking tea or coffee, or eating food. Pay attention to the whole sensory experience of it. How the cup or cutlery feels in your hands, the scent, how it feels in your mouth, the taste, etc. Not only is this effective mindfulness, but many people find it greatly enhances their enjoyment of the activity. 

Breathe deeply

You have to breathe all the time anyway, right? So there’s no excuse for not finding time for this in your day. All you need is a second or two to simply close your eyes, breathe deeply, and pay attention to the feeling of breath entering and leaving your body. This exercise is an especially good stress-buster. In fact, even elite soldiers like the Navy SEALs are taught breathing exercises to help them cope with the stress of going into battle. 

Walk

Instead of turning into a smartphone zombie, take the opportunity on your next walk to practise mindfulness by being aware of your surroundings. You’ll find there’s lots to focus on, from the scenery to the sounds, smells, and even the temperature.

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Conclusion

Mindfulness does not require long periods of quiet meditation. Even little micro-mindfulness practices like these can make a big difference to your happiness and mental health, and the suggestions here are only some of the ways you can fit mindfulness into your daily life. Feel free to get creative and come up with your own.