Mindfulness can now be seen as the new fad in modern society, but it has been around for thousands of years: it can be traced back to Buddhism, where it used to be a path to enlightenment. In the modern world, mindfulness has been cited to help people to cope with stress, negativity or even better focus, and to live better lives. So, how is it possible to be mindful in a common working day? The good news is that mindfulness is not something that has to be done just while sitting cross legged on a cushion; it very much can be put into practice in day-to-day life. Following are the stages with which you can practice mindfulness in different aspects of your life.
1. Set a Direction for Your Morning
It is said, the way to start a day is the way a day is going to be spent. Don't leap out of bed and immediately start working on the list of things you intended to do that particular morning. This could be as basic as "I shall wake up with a good mindset" or "I shall be polite to myself and everyone else." Through this you set the basic mood of your day right from the word go.
2. Practice Mindful Eating
Meals are one of the things we take with little concern, be it due to screen's interference or due to bolted schedule. There is full concentration as an aspect of eating by being fully aware of the experience. Take your time and look for the colours, the roughness/smoothness of the food and the aroma before you put your mouth in it. Take time in eating making sure to experience and appreciate the taste buds and textures of the food. Apart from the fact that is adds to the aesthetic experience of the consumption of food, this practice could also make your food intake harmonious and healthier.
3. Be Present for a Day's Undertakings
They should not be deceived that mindfulness can only be practiced by sitting in meditation; it can practiced at any point in the day. Whether you are washing dishes, taking shower or you are going to the near store you should try to concentrate yourself only on the current task. Take note of the texture of water whist washing the dishes, the noise of the shower running or the touch of the ground when walking. When you approach such simple motions with your entire self-attention, they become act of mindful presence.
4. Practice Mindful Breathing
Breath is a great ally in the mindfulness journey and the regular, intentional breath is one of the easiest form of practicing mindfulness. During the day, try to give a brief period of your time for concentrating on your breathing. Pay attention to the airflow in your nostrils, the movement of your chest, or the movement of your stomach, if they expand and shrink. If you find yourself drifting off, you have to remind yourself that you have to focus on the breath. A great way to implement this is to suggest it in times of tension and strain, to help to clear your mind and take a break.
5. Listen Mindfully
It can happen when self-consciousness is directed on what readiness say next, or when one can overhear oneself speaking with other people. This involves regard to the message and the sender of the message where one must keenly hear what the sender of the message has to say without interrupting or having a biased opinion on the same. If other involved parties can be heard, listen to what they say, the way the say it and how they do it. Not only do you improve the chances of achieving your interpersonal objectives for improved interpersonal communications, but at the same time improve in your interpersonal emotional quotient.
6. Practice Gratitude
It is an important attribution of mindfulness. It entails focusing on the strengths and values of life irrespective of how trivial they might be. There are many strategies to train gratitude but one of them is to make use of gratitude journal and that is making it a point to jot down at least 3 things that one is thankful for on a daily basis. Or if you don't have the time for such daily affirmations, then you can prioritize afternoon prayers by listing all the things that are going well in life. It directs your attention from what is missing in your life to what is available thus making you to have a positive attitude.
7. Take Mindful Breaks
Because of the busy schedules that people have, it becomes very easy to transverse from one task to the other. Teasing for instance, means that you undergo a change of posture, or take a mindful break from what you are doing. Take a break from what is perhaps a monotonous working schedule or from the particular project, and be aware of yourself. Such activities could include things like breathing exercises, physical exercises such as making stretch, or any activity that the person just needs to sit and look around. These breaks could somehow revive your mind and improve your performance.
8. Engage in Mindful Movement
The other forms of mindfulness are the ones practiced with movement such as yoga, Tai Chi or even a walk. The idea to practice body awareness, be fully present in a moment, notice how the body feels, how breath feels in the chest and belly, and what can be seen in the environment. Awareness in motion assist to focus on the bodily effects and provide the sense of wellbeing and harmony.
9. Practice Non-Judgment
Another feature of the mindfulness strategy is non-critical attitude, which means that one cannot judge the thoughts and feelings that come about during the practice of mindfulness. This can be quite difficult especially because of the tendency of the mind to judge. However, through non-judgment, the experience and events are taken just as they are with no addition of other forms of pressure or negative thinking. If you find yourself caught in a judgment of a thought or a feeling, kindly tell yourself to release it gently and come back to the present.
10. Cultivate Mindful Relationships
Relationships can also be improved by practicing mindfulness as there is improved relation and understanding between two or more people. Try to be attentive when you are with your significant other, your kin or friends, your peers or even subordinates. Compassionate listening, assertiveness and self-oversensitive behavior analysis. That is why, when mindfulness is applied to relationships, you establish an environment for an open and honest dialogue.
Mindfulness does not necessarily mean adding new activities or spending time that one does not have; it just means changing the perspective. It is about achieving serenity, and living an intense life in the present, which will help you improve the quality of your day to day.
