13 Ways To Be More Mindful In Your Everyday Life

March 6, 2024

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Forever lost in thought or drowning in self-doubt? Mindfulness can help. Here’s how to be more mindful.

Editorial credit: fizkes/ Shutterstock.

In a world with so much noise, it’s more important than ever to be more mindful.

Ever find yourself worrying about something you said three days ago or what you’re going to be doing in three weeks’ time? Maybe you’re overthinking or constantly comparing yourself? When your mind is trapped in thought, you won’t be in the best place to take charge of your life.

And if you’re always in your head, you’re missing out on making every second special. So, let’s change that.

Here’s what you can do to be more mindful every single day.

Wake Up With Intent

The best way to welcome more mindfulness into your life, is to start in the mornings. If you wake up instantly snoozing the alarm, checking your phone, and rushing around – your hectic tone for the day is set. But when you wake up with intent, your day is transformed.

If you want to be more mindful, begin when you start to wake up. Before you open your eyes, just as you’re stirring, visualise your ideal day. How will you make the day a success? How will you be present? What can you do to be your best self today? This helps you to bring it to life.

Make Mindfulness A Priority

To be more mindful every single day, you have to make it a priority. It can seem difficult, but practice makes perfect. First thing in the morning, before you check your phone or turn on the TV, set the tone for the day.

As you make your morning coffee, concentrate on it. Don’t lose yourself in thought of everything you have to do today, just be still. Focus on the present moment and feeling good. It makes such a difference.

Find Mindfulness In Monotony

But don’t just stop there. You can find more mindful moments in your usual, seemingly monotonous, daily endeavours. There are so many routine tasks we carry out mindlessly every single day, so make more use of them.

From making your tea to showering to your morning commute to work, be more present. Focus on the tea brewing, the feel of the water on your back, take in the scenes around you on your daily route. Something so simple can be so calming.

Start Off Slow

Now, you may be thinking, but what about meditation? Yes, meditation is definitely a key and essential way for you to be more mindful, and you can definitely give it a go. But, don’t force yourself.

Being still with your thoughts can feel uncomfortable to start with – hard or frustrating, even. But it gets easier with time. The key is to start off slowly. Just sit, focus on your breathing, and listen to the sounds around you for a few minutes and build up from there.

Be Kind To Yourself

And don’t be tough on yourself if you struggle to start with – or give up! The mind naturally wanders. So let it. Just be kind to yourself and bring yourself back to the present moment. Mindfulness takes practice, so be patient – you’ve got this.

Try not to judge yourself for drifting back into thought or criticise the thoughts themselves. Just gently acknowledge that this has happened, forgive yourself, and then focus on your breathing once again, or the present moment.

Switch Off

It’s normal to overthink or to worry or to feel stressed in some way – we all do it. But that doesn’t mean it’s okay or that you should accept it. One of the best ways to be more mindful and feel happier, healthier, and calmer in life is to relax. So, switch off.

Relaxation is so important for your health and wellbeing. So slow down and indulge in a little downtime from time to time. By relaxing and bringing yourself back to the present moment, you’re allowing yourself to focus on feeling good and calming any crazed thoughts.

Get Outside

One of the best ways to be more mindful is to get outside. Being in nature is so good for the soul. So go for a walk or sit in your garden. The fresh air and sunlight can really calm your mind and keep you present.

It’s something so simple, but it works. Nature can have a sort of meditative effect. It reduces stress, increases your energy levels, and even helps to boost your attention span. Not only can heading outside help you your mindfulness journey, but it’ll work wonders for your wellbeing too.

Get Creative

Consider yourself creative or always wanted to elevate your creativity? Now you have another reason to make it happen. Because mindfulness and creativity go hand in hand.

Mindfulness has the power to make you more creative. And, vice versa, doing something creative can course you to be more conscious, more present and aware. It can put you into a naturally mindful state.

Not only that, but meditation also allows you to improve your idea generation and boost your creativity as a result.

Commit To Focus

Multitasking is always a catalyst for stress. It stretches your attention span, reduces your ability to focus, and makes a simple task so much longer to complete. So take it one task at a time and commit to doing it mindfully.

And don’t forget to take breaks! Work on one task, take a break, then move onto the next. Breaks can really help you to be more mindful throughout the day and allow you to focus on the present moment.

Make It A Habit

If you really want to be more mindful in your everyday life, you have to make it a habit. And, as with any habit forming process, it will take patience and practice. You’re not going to make it stick the first time – maybe not even the second or third or tenth. But keep going.

As you welcome mindfulness into your daily routine, it gets easier. It’s now a part of your day as much as bathing or eating or sleeping, and you’ll get better at it as every day ticks by.

Be Accepting

A common challenge when it comes to making mindfulness stick is that you have to be calm and collected and in control of your mind at all times. That you have to constantly feel good. But in reality, that just isn’t the case.

Instead of getting frustrated when you’re lost in thought, or judging the types of thoughts you’re having, be accepting. Accept it when you feel sad or low or angry. Don’t try to manipulate negative thoughts – embrace them. Because that is the power of mindfulness in practice.

Consume Consciously

The opposite of mindful living? Unconscious consumption! And we all do it daily. One of the best ways to embrace mindfulness is to control your consumption and do it consciously. This applies to everything from food to thoughts.

It’s easy to inhale your food or eat while talking or reading or watching TV, but it can leave you feeling full, bloated, and exhausted. Instead, practice mindful eating. Taste every bite, stop when you feel full, and nourish the body at the same time.

When it comes to thoughts, be self-serving. It’s easy to let negative thoughts or people into your life, but you have to have boundaries. Habitually consuming social media or scrolling on your device isn’t mindful. Instead, protect your mind by consuming consciously.

Actively Practice

And, finally, the biggest thing that will help you to be more mindful is to active practice the craft. Keep meditating and focusing on the present moment. Practice and stick at it. Learn as much as you can about the art of mindfulness, it’ll help.

Dr Joe Dispenza is just one of the many advocates for meditation and mindfulness you can learn from. As he says, meditation alters not only the mind but the body at a molecular level. The more you practice, the more you’ll improve your cognitive function and boost your wellness and happiness as a result.

Do you want to live a more mindful life? What are your tips for mindfulness? Share your thoughts with the SOCIÉTÉ community in the comments below.

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