Mindfulness is the word on everyone’s lips right now. We’re all starting to take a step back and realise that our 40 hour working weeks, five page to-do lists and mobile phone addictions aren’t doing us a whole lot of good. We need some time to sit back, unplug and recharge our minds. Here are 10 easy ways to add more mindfulness to your day to day life. No seven hour meditation sessions or chanting monks required.
1. Read ‘May Cause Miracles’
If you’re at a loss with where to begin your mindfulness journey or you’re looking for a way to kick-start a healthier and happier state of mind, this is the book for you. May Cause Miracles is a 42 day guide to letting go of all the negativity and fear you’ve been lugging around with you and ushering in a whole bunch of happiness and contentment.
Make a Daily Gratitude List
You don’t have to spend hours writing down every positive thing that’s ever happened to you, but acknowledging the positives in your life is a fantastic way to start the day, especially if you’re suffering from the Monday Morning Blues! Simply think of 3 things you’re looking forward to that day or that you’re thankful for. You’ll be surprised how quickly this can turn a bad mood on its head!
Keep a Journal
Journalling is definitely not just for heartbroken teenaged girls. As well as helping you to document events and experiences you might otherwise forget over time, writing in a journal is an excellent way to get some of the thoughts that are whirling around your head out into the world. For various reasons it’s not always possible to talk to someone about how you feel or the crazy things that are going on in your life. Journalling gives you an opportunity to vent those emotions and free up some space in your mind.
Find Some Headspace
Meditation is an ideal way to jump off the manic hamster wheel of life for a few minutes and give your mind a little bit of breathing space. Headspace is a guided meditation app that talks you through the process of getting your brain to actually shut up and be still and is perfect for beginners. You can sign up for a free trial to gain access to the 10 minute meditation series or subscribe to unlock an entire library of targeted meditation practices.
Wake up Earlier
There are two types of people in this world: people who naturally leap out of bed at 5am to go and do yoga on the beach and people like me who sob into their pillow when the alarm goes off. Over the last year I’ve slowly trained myself to wake up earlier and it’s made a huge difference to my mental clarity and my entire day.
Give yourself enough time each morning to get ready at a leisurely pace, eat breakfast and even get in an early morning meditation session. That extra 30 minutes of ‘me time’ in the morning will set you up for the rest of the day.
Take a Digital Detox
Modern technology has a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde thing going on. Yes, it makes our lives a lot easier, but it can also be pretty detrimental to our mental health. Between social media addition and staying up until 3am playing Candy Crush, I’m sure we’ve all witnessed the dark side of modern technology.
Simply switching off your phone and laptop at 8pm each evening will give you some space to actually be present in the moment. Take the time to do something more productive than watching cat videos on Youtube for four hours.
Declutter your Space
Whoever said a messy home leads to a messy mind was definitely on to something. If you have to wade through a knee-high floordrobe to make it from your bed to your door or you have a closet packed so full that opening it is a health and safety risk, then it’s going to be difficult for you get find mental clarity. Not only will being surrounded by disorder negatively affect your mood, but the stress of never being able to find things in the chaos of your overpacked drawers and cupboards will get to you too.
Last year I began the epic task of decluttering my entire life with the help of the must-read book, ‘The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up’ by Marie Kondo. The impact this book has had on my life has been phenomenal. I went from being a shopaholic, slowly drowning in her own purchases, to having a well-ordered room with ample space, significantly less pointless ‘stuff’ and a heck of a lot more money in the bank. And with less clutter around I feel significantly calmer and more content in my day to day life too.
Go for a Walk
Never underestimate the power of fresh air and a change of scenery. Not only does going for a walk have a whole host of a physical benefits, but research shows that getting out and about can also improve your mood, decrease anger and even boost creativity. Switch off your phone so you have no distractions and make the most of spending some quiet time with nature.
Schedule Your ‘Me Time’
With so many things going on in our lives (40 hour work weeks, social engagements, deadlines, chores, errands, friends you haven’t gotten around to calling in 3 months) it’s easy to prioritise absolutely everything above spending some quality time de-stressing and re-calibrating your brain. However you choose to practise mindfulness, whether it’s by meditating, taking up a yoga class, or even taking a relaxing bubble bath, make sure you commit to spending a little bit of time every day focussing on your mental wellbeing. Schedule it in like you would any other appointment and don’t let yourself bail.
Just Breathe
And finally, whenever your day is going haywire and the stress of it all hits you like a brick in the face, just take a couple of minutes to be quiet and breathe.
Ushering a little bit of mindfulness and mental clarity into your life doesn’t have to be an overwhelming commitment. Hopefully these 10 tips for everyday mindfulness will help you make a little bit more space for your own mental wellbeing in your day to day life.
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