With the world seemingly getting more chaotic every day, the need to take a step back and take a moment for yourself is now more important than ever. This is why there has been a growing trend for mindfulness in recent years - helping those who partake to relax and reset however hectic their life may get.
Despite what some ‘influencers’ and ‘experts’ may tell you you don’t need to dedicate your life to mindfulness to benefit from it. In fact, undertaking just a few small daily practices could have a profound impact on your wellbeing.
In this guide, we are going to give you 6 tried and tested ways to practice a little mindfulness every day.
It is important that you try different techniques and add the ones that work for you to you daily routine. You should also only add them to the extent which works for you and your lifestyle….just because getting in touch with nature can be a good mindful practice, doesn’t mean you have to run up the side of a mountain before the school run.
Meditate for 5+Minutes
If the idea of sitting in a class of people wearing clothes that are so baggy that they are a little too revealing and letting loud “hummmmm”’s isn’t for you, you may well have been put off participating in meditation.
But you really don’t need any of that to benefit from meditation. All you need is:
Simple, right?
Take Time to Breathe
We all breathe...that should be no revelation. But when was the last time you took a minute or two to notice the pace and depth of your breath?
As we go through the day and face stresses our breathing can change and negatively impact our minds and bodies. Setting time aside to undertake breathing exercises can help you reset and regather yourself.
Of course, this isn’t always as easy as it sounds. Using tools such as Melo can help make breathing exercises easier and much more enjoyable.
Get in Touch With Nature
Our day-to-day lives can become hectic. We often get caught up in a whirlwind of obligations and don’t feel like we are making progress unless we are busy. Yet taking some time to step back can help you destress.
There are few better ways to do this than spending time in the peace of nature. This really can be anything from sitting in a quiet park for 10 minutes and taking in your surroundings to taking a day away from towns and technology by going hiking in the country.
Keep a Journal
Long gone are the days where keeping a journal was the exclusive pastime of teenage girls. Practicing writing a journal can be an incredibly healing and through-provoking process that has been made more popular in modern times through the practice of stoicism.
There are plenty of ways you can write a journal, from simply writing a record of your day to asking yourself questions each day. There really is no correct way, just find a way that works for you.
It is also worth keeping your journaling short, as it means you are more likely to write in it everyday.
Try Yoga
Yoga isn’t just for the super flexible. It can be a great way to engage your muscles and get in touch with your body on a daily basis.
Again, this doesn’t mean you have to practice yoga for hours every day. Simply introducing a 30 second stretch at the start of your morning can be highly beneficial. Alternatively,if you are sat at a desk all day introducing a short stretching routine can be good for both your mind and body.
Read
Reading is a great way to de-stress and focus on something other than your day-to-day life.
However, all too often we find ourselves trying to read books that we feel we should read rather than those we want to. Inevitably this means that we don’t enjoy reading and end up never finishing a book.
Instead, pick something you enjoy. If that is a self-improvement book - great. If it’s a fictional escape- that is also great.
Daily Mindful Practices
Make a commitment to try some or all of the mindful practices highlighted in this article. Then, just pick the ones that work for you and try and do them every day. You may be surprised just how much of an impact a small action, repeated daily, can have on your mindset and wellbeing.
TheaWellbeing and its materials are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent any disease. All material on theawellbeing.com is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider for any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise, or other health-related programs.
.png)
.png)
.svg)
