What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is talked about quite a lot in the recent years, but it’s far from new. In fact, it comes from the thousands of years old Buddhist meditation tradition.
In a chaotic world, where multitasking is appreciated, we tend to lose track of the present. Our minds spin quickly with thoughts that have nothing to do with what we’re doing at the moment. Mindful exercises are designated to help you with exactly that – to focus on the present, and to accept it.
British Journal of Health Psychology states that practicing mindfulness daily for as little as 10 minutes improves brings about several health benefits, including improving well-being, reduction of anxiety, as well as better sleeping and eating habits.
6 mindfulness daily exercises
Perhaps the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word mindfulness is meditation. But there is more to that, and some mindfulness activities are very simple, not requiring 20 minutes of your time with closed eyes. Let´s look at 6 exercises you can do in your daily life that will make you shift your attention to the present and improve the quality of your life.
1. One minute waking up
There is no better way to build a mindful habit than to start your day with it. If you are like me, you probably start it scrolling Instagram and responding to your friends´ messages. Well, although it is hard to get rid of the habit, our brains would thank us.
Instead, sit or lie comfortably on your bed. Stretch and pay attention to the individual parts of your body. Breathe regularly and focus on the air entering and leaving your lungs. You can easily adopt this quick exercise that will help you get ready for the day.
What you can also do before getting out of bed is journaling, which is a mindfulness practice, too. Though I don’t do this in the morning, many people do their morning pages. If you want to know more about journaling, see my beginner´s guide here.
2. Mindful eating
Are you fully aware when eating? Again, I confess I usually multitask, bringing my phone to the table. According to mindfulness experts, we should eat just for the sake of it.
Try eating slowly and focus on the food’s texture and taste. Do you like what you are eating? How does the food taste?
3 Labelling your emotions and moving on
Take a moment in the day to pay attention to what you feel and think. Observe what thoughts and feelings flow through your mind as if you were in a cinema. Identify, label them, and then let them go without further analysis.
I like to imagine my thought is a cloud. For instance, I am fed up with my colleague. In my mind, I want to tell bad things to her instead of thinking with cold head. So, I label the thought and feeling “I feel rage,” and “she screwed up, why is she sitting and not doing anything about it”. I get into the role of an observer.
This way, rather than thinking about the moment further, I let go of the thought and the feeling disappears quicker. Then, I get a fresh perspective on the situation, and I am able to react more rationally.
4. Mindful walking
Maybe you walk less, maybe more in your average day. What is certain is we all several different places daily. Why not use this and practice mindfulness? Pay attention to each step as you walk. Notice your feet landing on the ground. What is the surface of it like?
Also, breathe accordingto the rhythm of your steps. You can count three steps for inhalation and three steps for exhalation.
5. Mindful communication
Similarly to walking, we talk daily. To have a mindful communication means to be an attentive listener and a cautious speaker.
The next time you talk to someone, listen without judgment, look into the other person’s eyes, and focus on what they say without interrupting them.
6. Body scan before bed
After a long day, it is natural to have a mind full of thoughts about unfinished tasks or responsibilities that await you the next day. A simple exercise of bringing attention to each physical part of your body before sleeping can help.
How does it work? First, lay in a comfortable position. Then, start mentally “scanning” your body. What sensations in each part do you feel? Scan without judgment and relax any tension as you go. This can also help you if you have trouble falling asleep!
If you want a recommendation, choose one or two of these daily mindfulness activities to start with and try to stick with them. After some time, you may develop your own exercises tailored specifically to your daily routine.