Mindfulness is not just a set of exercises. It Is a way of approaching the world that leaves us feeling more accepting and less stressed. It teaches us to accept things just as they are in the present moment.
Mindfulness is a way of training the brain to respond differently to what we are exposed to.
The most effective way of creating change is to integrate mindfulness strategies throughout our busy day.
The biggest barrier to doing so is often not having a concrete plan as to how to do this in a way that fits a busy schedule. People with the best of intentions therefore often end up forgetting to incorporate small mindful moments through the day that could make a world of difference.
If you’ve been trying to commit to a regular mindfulness practice, but are still struggling, here are some ideas of ways in which mindfulness can be easily integrated into your busy day.
- start the day with a short meditation
- set an intention for the day
- shift your awareness to your body tension while driving and take a deep breath to release
- set an alarm to encourage you to do a
30 second meditation every 2 hours throughout the day - use your break at work to relax instead of checking your phone
- leave your office on your lunch break
- take 5 minutes of your lunch to close your eyes and connect with any sounds you hear
- when you hear something that upsets you, take a deep breath and count to 5 before you respond
- notice any feelings you may be experiencing when you have to wait in line
- sit in the car for 5 minutes listening to calming music when you get
home, before you enter the house - go for a mindful walk in the evening feel the wind on your cheeks, the sounds of the leaves under your feet, etc.)
- end the day by noting 1-3 things you are grateful for today
- do a body scan before bed and letting go of any tension you note
A regular mindfulness practice has been shown to have many benefits, including reduced stress levels, lowered blood pressure, reduced risk of depression, etc. The more you consistently adopt a mindfulness practice, the more benefits you will experience.
Fortunately, the only necessary investment into a mindfulness practice is a willingness to explore a new way of approaching the world.
I work with leaders and teams who want to cultivate stress-free communication. A large portion of my speaking and consulting practice is based on mindfulness so that people can communicate with one another more consciously, which decreases drama and improve staff and engagement and retention.
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