Life can feel incredibly busy. Between work, family, relationships, responsibilities and the constant stream of notifications competing for our attention, it can sometimes feel as though our minds never really switch off.
Mindfulness is one way we can create a little space amongst all that noise.
For Mindfulness Day on 12 September, we’re sharing five practical ways to introduce mindfulness into your everyday life. None of them require special equipment, lots of spare time or experience with meditation.
What is mindfulness?
At its simplest, mindfulness is about paying attention to the present moment.
Our minds naturally wander. We might find ourselves replaying something that happened yesterday, worrying about what could happen tomorrow or trying to think about several things at once.
Mindfulness encourages us to notice what is happening right now, including our thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and surroundings, without feeling that we immediately need to change or judge them.
Here are five simple exercises you can try.
1. Try the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique
If your thoughts feel particularly busy or overwhelming, this exercise can help bring your attention back to your immediate surroundings.
Take a moment to notice:
- 5 things you can see
- 4 things you can feel
- 3 things you can hear
- 2 things you can smell
- 1 thing you can taste
There is no need to rush through the list. Give yourself time to properly notice each one.
2. Take five mindful breaths
You don’t need to practise a lengthy breathing exercise to take a mindful moment.
Simply pause and take five slow breaths. Pay attention to the sensation of breathing in and breathing out.
Your mind will probably wander at some point. That’s completely normal. When you notice it happening, gently return your attention to your breathing.
3. Make an everyday activity mindful
Mindfulness doesn’t always have to be a separate activity in your day.
Choose something you already do regularly, such as making a cup of tea, having a shower, eating lunch or walking to the shops.
Try doing it without looking at your phone or thinking about what you need to do next. Instead, pay attention to what you can see, hear, smell, taste and feel.
Even a couple of minutes can give your mind a break from constantly jumping ahead.
4. Go for a mindful walk
The next time you go for a walk, spend part of it deliberately noticing what is around you.
What can you hear? What does the air feel like? What colours can you see? How does the ground feel beneath your feet?
If you usually walk while checking your phone or listening to something, try spending five minutes without either.
The aim isn’t to empty your mind. Simply notice when your attention drifts and bring it back to your surroundings.
5. Check in with yourself
We can become so focused on getting through our day that we don’t always notice how we’re actually feeling.
Try pausing once or twice during the day and asking yourself:
What am I feeling right now?
Notice your thoughts, emotions and any physical sensations. Perhaps your shoulders feel tense, your breathing has become shallow or you’re feeling more tired than you realised.
You don’t necessarily need to solve anything. Sometimes simply recognising how we feel can help us understand what we need.
Start small
Mindfulness is something that can be practised, and you don’t need to be particularly good at it for it to be worthwhile.
You might start with one mindful cup of tea, a five-minute walk or a few focused breaths before beginning your working day.
It is also important to remember that mindfulness is only one approach to supporting our emotional wellbeing. If you’re finding things difficult, talking about what you’re experiencing can help.
At Westmeria Counselling Services, we provide affordable, accessible counselling to people in our local community. If you feel you could benefit from speaking to someone, you can get in touch with our team to find out more about the support available.