5 Ways to Be More Mindful

1. ONE MINUTE OF MINDFULNESS

Consider introducing short ‘meditation minutes’ into your day. You are going to need a timer or clock for this. The time should be set to one minute. Your work is going to be focusing your attention on your breathing.

You can practice with your eyes closed or open. If you become lost in thought and lose touch with your breath, just bring back your attention to your breath. Do it gently. Repeat that as many times as needed.

Minute meditations can be great when you start feeling aggravated or stressed.

2. MINDFUL LISTENING

When people listen to another person, oftentimes they are there in body but not fully present. They get caught up in their own thoughts instead of listening to the other person. The thoughts are on agreeing or disagreeing with them mentally, or thinking about what to say next.

When you are with your co-worker or a loved one, use that time as an exercise in mindfulness. Listening to what the other person is saying, do not just hear the words.

Your focus should be fully on the other person. Listening can be a great act of love and kindness. People always appreciate when someone is truly listening to them. People are more likely to listen to you when it is your turn.

3. TRANSFORMATIONAL ‘CHORES’

Consider turning your chores into mindfulness sessions. Housework usually takes a large chunk of our time. You shouldn’t see them as boring chores, use that time to become more mindful.

The next time you have to do laundry or prepare dinner, all your awareness needs to be on the task. Make it your goal to be fully engaged with what you are doing and avoid getting caught up in mind chatter. Don’t also rush to the end of the tasks.

If you are folding laundry, then do not rush through the process. Take time to feel the fabrics and textures of the clothes – how fresh they are. Pay attention to the colors and patterns and how the light in the room affects them. Your folding can become something like a yoga practice. Make sure you are mindful and attentive to each fold.

When you do this, every little act starts becoming a sacred ritual. It helps in keeping you in tune with yourself, the moment, and the space around you – everything is working in perfect harmony.

4. EATING WITH AWARENESS

You can reclaim the pleasure of food through mindful eating. This is one of those things many people are out of touch with. This is one of the most wonderful and simple pleasures, research has shown that mindful eating is good for weight loss and helps with digestion.

When you want to eat, make sure you have turned off all distractions then focus on what you are feeling. Before eating, pause first. Have a closer look at your food and notice its scent.

When eating, make sure you eat slowly and take small bites. Make sure you are fully present in the moment. This is going to have a big impact on your relationship with food.

5. SLOW DOWN

Today, the world has become obsessed with deadlines, effort, achieving, etc. The information age has made things worse because everyone is racing through life very fast – but has this made anyone happier?

Many people are not giving themselves time to slow down and be present for those precious moments in their lives. This is not a good thing because they are short changing and becoming stressed out and anxious. Visit Claritychi.com if you would like advice on dealing with stress.

You need to start by slowing down physically because it is going to help you slow down mentally. You are going to get more pleasure from life when you slow down. Make sure you take the time to connect with your family (turn off the TV and put down your phone).

Something as simple as walking barefoot on the grass is going to do wonders. Enjoy that sensation because it is going to make things better. Instead of selling to your customers, take the time to connect with them.