What Exactly is Mindfulness?
To clarify, mindfulness is the practice of being completely engaged in the present moment. Free of distractions, you can focus on the task at hand, reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and in some cases, physical pain. Luckily, with a few simple exercises, some patience, and persistence, you can achieve a mental state that allows you to focus exclusively on your work.
All It Takes is 10 Mindful Minutes
First, in a TED Talk by mindfulness expert, Andy Puddicombe, he describes the transformative power of spending ten minutes a day by being mindful and experiencing the present moment.
The Juggling & Speaking Example
An example that Andy uses is juggling three balls at a time: if he focuses only on juggling, he would not be able to speak to the audience. If he focuses more on the audience, that would result in the dropping of one, or all, of the balls.
Next, Andy opens up his speech by probing the audience, “when is the last time that you’ve done absolutely nothing? No texting, no reminiscing about the past, planning for the future…”
Lastly, it may take a while to recall one’s own experience, as in today’s society the practice of multi-tasking and not being fully present in the moment is more common than you’d think.
Mindfulness Isn't Just Meditation
If the speech format is not your jam and you’d rather learn about mindfulness through an animation, check out this video, “Why Mindfulness Is a Superpower: An Animation”, featured on YouTube channel Happify.
Why Mindfulness Is a Superpower: An Animation
Happify is the single destination for effective, evidence-based solutions for better mental health. Featured in Forbes, The New York Times, and more, Happify’s blog contains various research articles on positive psychology, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and mindfulness.
As shown above, the video goes through one of the most common reactions – getting upset by another driver cutting you off – and how you can adjust your behaviors and reactions to activate one’s own innate superpower of being mindful.
Mastering Mindfulness
Check out some of these recommended mindfulness techniques and resources. Do you have a technique that works best for you? Let us know in the comments below or contact us!
The best way to wake up in the morning is by feeling re-energized, well-rested, and by setting one’s intentions for the day. Before you grab your phone, tablet, or laptop, try sitting in a relaxed position, by taking three long, deep breaths, and asking yourself, “What is my intention for the day?” An example may be to eat well, give generously, or practice patience.
Creating new patterns can be a fun, creative experience with enough sticky notes and Sharpies! Try creating a set of “if, then” statements like: if I yawn, then I will take ten seconds to stand up, stretch, and take a deep breath; it could also be something as simple as, “before replying to an email, take a deep breath.”
Do you find yourself with your head in your phone, fixated on a computer screen or television while you are enjoying a meal or snack? Most of us are likely familiar with, and may even do this without even actually thinking about it.
A good mindfulness exercise is to direct all of your attention to eating. Try to be as peaceful as possible, by taking small, concentrated bites of food. You may find that you eat less than you normally do, as your body has time to process how much food is already in your stomach.
Do you find yourself making judgements regularly, about yourself and others? If so, try to minimize them moving forward.
An exercise that helps me let go of negative thoughts is called, “Leaves on a Stream.” In this exercise, sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes. Visualize yourself sitting next to a gentle stream with leaves floating down it. For the next few minutes, for every thought that enters your mind, negative or positive, picture it floating on top of one of the leaves, and let them float down the stream. If a leaf gets stuck, allow it to hang around in the stream until it’s ready to float by.
You may notice yourself becoming distracted. This is normal, and just requires you bringing your attention back to the exercise. To learn more about this exercise and cognitive defusion, check out the Mindfulness Muse.
Lie on your back with your legs extended, arms at your sides, with palms facing up. Focus your attention slowly and deliberately on each part of your body, in order, from head to toe (or vice versa). Be sure to be aware of any sensations, emotions, or thoughts associated with each part of your body. Make note of them and see if they change over time.
Find a quiet place that is 10 to 20 feet in length, and walk slowly from one point to the other. Focus on the experience of walking, becoming aware of the sensations of standing and each subtle movement that helps you keep your balance.
When you reach the end of the path you identified, turn and continue walking, maintaining awareness of your sensations. Perform this exercise for 3-5 minutes, and gradually increase the time as you become more accustomed to the exercise.
In Conclusion
Ultimately, it may take some time before you get used to practicing mindfulness and discover which techniques work best for you. Try to set aside time daily to practice, and keep this consistency for around six months. After this period, you may find that mindfulness becomes quite effortless. You’ll likely recognize negative thoughts to environmental triggers and hone the ability to let them go instead of letting them fester.
Resources & Further Reading
- Bayes-Fleming, N., PhD, B., Boyce, B., Goh, C., Newman, K., Staff, M., & Graham, L. (2018, September 14). Getting Started with Mindfulness. Retrieved September 04, 2020, from https://www.mindful.org/meditation/mindfulness-getting-started/
- Mayo Clinic Staff. (2018, August 17). Can mindfulness exercises help me? Retrieved September 04, 2020, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/mindfulness-exercises/art-20046356
- Pal, P., Hauck, C., Goldstein, E., Bobinet, K., & Bradley, C. (2018, August/September). 5 Simple Mindfulness Practices for Daily Life. Retrieved September 04, 2020, from https://www.mindful.org/take-a-mindful-moment-5-simple-practices-for-daily-life/