Right now, the days seem to never end, as they all blend together. It is during times like these where we all forget what it is to be mindful of ourselves and our actions. Thankfully, there are a few things we can do to put mindfulness into our daily lives now, so we can finally feel better about ourselves. Some of these ideas will utilize a fidget ring, anxiety spinner rings, and mindfulness gifts, while others will simply allow you to use your inner thoughts and imagination.
10 Ways to Put Mindfulness into Your Daily Life Now
1. Pay Attention to the Little Things
When was the last time you truly paid attention to all the little things around you? You may think that you are doing this all the time, but I can guarantee you are not! I am talking about focusing on the smell of the laundry when you take it out of the machine or the listening to the water as it fills the sink while you are doing the dishes. Maybe even listening to your kids giggle in the other room before the fighting breaks out once again. These are all things you should be cherishing every moment of every day.
2. Pay Attention to Your Thoughts
How many times has something popped up in your mind and you barely gave it a passing thought before your brain had something new to think about? This can happen multiple times a day, so I urge to you take the time to pay attention to your thoughts. Stop and take a few minutes to think about that random thought, while learning how to reflect more on the positive ones than the negative.
3. Take the Way You Feel into Consideration
Sometimes practicing mindfulness is as easy as taking the way you feel into consideration. On a day where you are feeling tired and worn down, you may want to practice mindfulness a little more often. This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t be mindful on those days you feel amazing. It just means that you may need to work harder at it on the days you are not feeling your best.
4. Create Your Focus
Focusing can be difficult for so many people, which is why you may want to purchase some mindfulness gifts to keep you on track. A fidget ring, or anxiety spinner rings, can be helpful when you need a little help keeping your mind from wandering. These mindfulness gifts can also prevent you from panicking if things are not going as you planned.
5. Remember to Breathe
Breathing is something we all do every single day, but did you know that it is one of the best mindfulness gifts you can give yourself if you learn to do it the right way? The next time you need a few minutes to yourself, or even when you don’t have the time, focus on your breathing. Allow yourself to listen to your breath going in and out and see how you feel with every breath you take. You can do this sitting, standing, or laying down, so basically get comfortable and just breathe.
6. Sit Down and Do Nothing
While mindfulness usually requires you to do something like breathing properly, meditating, or focusing on what you are doing, it doesn’t have to be like that all the time. You can simply choose to sit down and do nothing in order to reap the benefits of being mindful. It will be difficult to sit down and do nothing, so do not feel bad if you cannot do it for more than a minute for the first few times.
However, I urge you to turn off the television, silence your phone, and walk away from work and the chores for at least five minutes each day. Go outside, grab a chair and place it in the sunshine, so you can sit and bask in the warmth of the sun’s glow. Don’t think about anything but the sun on your face. The goal is to do this for at least five minutes each day. You may get good at this though and that means you may get fifteen minutes to yourself, which will increase your mindfulness during the rest of your day.
7. Start to Listen More
It is so easy to start talking before someone is finished with what they are saying. It is also difficult to stop doing this. The next time you are listening to someone talk, you should do everything you can to spend your time just listening. You will find that you are getting more out of the conversation than you would if you kept interjecting your thoughts.
8. Practice Mindfulness when Eating
When it comes time to eat, what do you find yourself doing? Rushing around the kitchen, making sure everyone has food on their plate? Scarfing down a few bites in between grabbing more juice for the kids and piling seconds onto your spouse’s plate?
We all do this, because we are trying to be mindful of our family’s needs. However, we are ignoring our needs at the same time. When you eat, you should sit down and enjoy every bite of your meal, as you chew slowly. All distractions should be removed when possible. This is also an excellent time to work on your listening skills. You can choose to really listen as your family tells you about their day.
9. Look Around when Walking
Taking a walk can be an extraordinary experience, if we take the time to see it that way. Instead of focusing on getting your steps in every day, you should simply pay attention to what is going on around you. Listen to the birds chirping, the kids playing in a backyard, and watch the sun move in the sky. You may even want to check out the clouds if there are any. Being more alert during walks can help how you feel when you are finished. So, instead of just getting your steps in, you are being more mindful at the same time.
10. Stop Multi-Tasking
Multi-tasking has become a way of life, so if there is one mindfulness gift you can give yourself right now, let it be the gift of doing one thing at a time. Instead of focusing on two, or twenty, things at once, break down your to-do list into items you can focus on one at a time. When you stop multi-tasking, you will make fewer mistakes and you will get things done faster too. You also won’t be as forgetful, which will be quite helpful at the end of the day.
These are ten of the best ways to put mindfulness into your daily life now. As you can see, there are many small mindfulness gifts you can give yourself when you are trying to be more mindful. Some will not cost you a penny, while others like anxiety spinner rings and a fidget ring, will be mindfulness gifts you need to get from a store. Start practicing mindfulness more today and let me know how much better it is making you feel!
