Mindfulness is a hot topic at the moment, and for good reason – as our lives get busier, we’re all looking for ways to chill out, calm down and keep our cool… and practising mindfulness can really help with that.
It’s not all adult colouring books and meditation, though – there are lots of ways to be more mindful, and many of them are easy to incorporate into everyday life. Here are a few we use to keep us focused, even on the most stressful days.
Go for a walk
Such a simple thing, but walking is very helpful for centring your thoughts and tuning out stressful situations. The key is to walk with purpose – choose a route and pay attention to it, spot wildlife or count your steps. Concentrate on where you are and how it feels to be out in the fresh air to really feel the benefit of a good walk.
Think about your breathing
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or panicky, spending a few minutes focusing on your breath going in and out can real help bring on a feeling of calm. Breathe in through your nose, hold for a beat and breathe out through your mouth. Keep this focus for a few minutes to reduce your heart rate and centre your thoughts.
Get creative
Having a creative outlet is a brilliant way to be more mindful – when you’re expressing yourself through creativity, you are focused on your task, able to tune out the world around you and are living fully in the moment. And your creativity can be anything – art, photography, crafting, writing, music… whatever you most enjoy!
Have a healthy relationship with your phone
Let’s be honest – we’re all on our phones, all the time. It’s the reality of life and something that won’t change any time soon, so there’s not much use in saying ‘ditch your phone’ or ‘delete your Instgram’. Not gonna happen!
Unplugging from your phone for a period of time does help with mindfulness, though. We’re not recommending switching off for a whole day, but having a Saturday morning without your phone or leaving it behind when you go for an evening meal will help keep you in the moment… plus you’ll have loads to catch up on when you’re finally reunited ;)
