Mindfulness: you’ve probably heard it does us good!
But you might be a little stuck on how to incorporate it into your life. Especially when it can often feel like you barely have the time to be mindless!
Never fear! You can whip out these simple little mindfulness exercises on the bus, at your desk, or while you’re waiting to pick up the kids. Yep, self-care can really be that easy.
Just breathe
It sounds like a no brainer, but you’d be surprised how often we completely forget to just stop and take a few slow, deep breaths.
Deeper breathing helps our body activate our parasympathetic nervous system – the part that tells us it’s time to rest, reset and digest.
If you need a little more guidance, try counting to five as you inhale, and make the exhale a little longer if you can – counting to six or seven or eight. Do as many rounds as you can fit into your quick break and feel the relaxation settle in.
Notice and name
Start to notice the things around you, sense by sense. Name three things you can see at that very moment (car, chair, door). Then three things you can hear (bird, wind, baby). Three things you can touch (couch, shirt, carpet). Maybe even three things you can smell (grass, rain, laundry).
Rooting yourself in the present will bring you back to your body and the moment at hand, which can be super helpful if you’re all up in your head most of the time.
Body scan
You can turn our attention outward to the present moment. But you can also turn your attention inward, to your physical sensations. A body scan can be a great place to start.
Simply close your eyes and turn your attention towards the tips of your toes. Notice how they feel, what they are resting on or touching (the ground? The inside of your shoe?) then slowly make your way up your body to your shins, thighs, hips, back, tummy and so on.
Try to go as slowly, naming and feeling out as many parts of your body as you can. Stop and see if you can physically feel your heart beating as it pumps that life-giving blood around your body.
Say thank you
Mindfulness and gratitude really go hand in hand, and both are proving beneficial in psychology research. A little gratitude has been shown to help encourage positive emotions, build resilience, improve relationships and boost mood.
The easiest way to incorporate gratitude into your day is to stop and think of three things you’re thankful for. This can range from the delicious cup of tea you made that morning, to the support of a partner or children, to the strength to get through a really difficult time and still be standing at the end of it.
When we take a moment, most of us do have so much we can be grateful for. It’s nice to make space so we don’t take those things for granted.