Everyday mindfulness…
…five simple practices to fit into your day!
There are times in everyone’s life when fitting a regular mindfulness session into each and every day is going to be a challenge. There’s the school holidays to cope with, for a start—and that week before you go on holiday when you’re trying to get a mountain of work finished before you go!
If you’re in that situation now, try one or more of these five informal mindfulness exercises. Each one will fit easily into your busy day! Find your favourite and see if you can practice it three times a day.
1: Notice your surroundings
You can practice this while you’re waiting for the bus, in a queue at the supermarket, or walking to work or school. Anytime you notice your mind leaping ahead to the next task on your ‘to do’ list is a good time to use this exercise! Here are a few things you could bring your awareness to:
- Notice the nature around you, whether it’s house-plants in your office or home, trees in a park you’re walking through, dew-covered grass in your garden or sunshine breaking through clouds.
- A sense of impatience while waiting in a queue is an excellent reminder that now’s a good time to bring yourself back to the present and notice your surroundings. Perhaps remind yourself that the other people in the queue probably also have long ‘to do’ lists. Try sending out thoughts of loving kindness to everyone in the queue!
- If you’re walking, try focusing on the rhythm of your footfalls. Really listen to the sound your feet make as they connect with the ground. How do the changing surfaces you’re moving over sound different? Tempted to splash in a few puddles or walk barefoot across your lawn? Go ahead and see what it feels like!
2: Listen to the noises around you
Finding a quiet time to practise meditation during very busy times can be a big challenge! Instead of trying to block out the noises around you, try this three-minute practice on meditating with noise from Diana Winston, writing on mindful.org. See if, instead of reacting to the sounds you hear (“I like it” or “I don’t like it”), you can simply listen to the sound.
3: Focus on your feet
You might be on your feet all day or sitting at a desk all day. Either way, you can practice a moment of mindfulness at any time by taking your attention to the soles of your feet:
- If you’re standing, notice if there’s more weight on one foot than on the other. Is there more or less weight on your heels than on the balls of your feet? (You don’t need to correct your balance unless you want to; simply notice what’s there.)
- If you’re sitting, concentrate on the feeling of your socks or shoes touching your skin. Are your feet hot, cold or somewhere in between? If your feet are bare, wriggle your toes and notice the sensations that creates.
- If you’re in bed, maybe notice the textures, warmth or coolness of the sheets touching your feet or the weight of each foot resting on the bed. If it’s the end of a long day, are your feet aching or throbbing? See how many different sensations you can be aware of in your feet.
4: Recognise your breaths
Several times a day, bring your awareness to your breathing for three in-breaths and three out-breaths. Recognise each in-breath and out-breath for what it is—simply notice the air moving in and out of your lungs and say to yourself “This is an in-breath; this is an out-breath.” Because this practice is so simple, you can fit it into your busy day almost anywhere you are!
To remind yourself to do this, pick a trigger—something that happens regularly throughout your day. It might be your phone beeping when a text message arrives, a pet wanting to be fed or the click of your kettle turning itself off when it boils. Whatever trigger you use, each time you notice it happening, practice recognising your breaths.
5: Slow down—just for a moment or two!
Choose a small action that you carry out on a daily basis—like getting dressed, putting away clothes or dishes, or checking what’s left in the fridge! Make this action your ‘slowing down’ practice for the week. One of our favourites at The Moment is Now comes from Thich Nhat Hanh:
“Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the earth revolves—slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future.”
As you drink your brew, notice the temperature of the cup or glass in your hands and breathe in the scent of your drink before you take a sip. As you drink, focus on the flavour and warmth of the liquid. Enjoy taking time to savour the present moment.
