Mindfulness is a state of mind, rather than a particular action or exercise.We often imagine that practicing mindfulness would simply involve being still for 30 minutes or so and let’s face it, that can feel almost impossible to achieve, especially when we overthink.
There are many proven benefits to practicing mindfulness, which include:
- reducing stress ,anxiety and depression symptoms
- helping with pain management
- improving cognitive ability
- increasing a sense of well-being
Without practice, mindfulness can be difficult to achieve.So here are 5 tips to mindfulness:
1.Do one thing at a time; try and focus on one thing rather than multitasking at any one point.
2.Use your five senses: make a conscious effort to notice the present moment through each of your senses:
- 5 things you can see
- 4 things you can feel
- 3 things you can hear
- 2 things you can smell
- 1 thing you can taste
This can help with feeling present and grounded in the current moment.
3.Practice a mindful moment in a walk:While walking, make a point to notice how your body moves and feels.Then, try expanding your awareness to your surroundings.What do you see? What do you hear? What do you feel?
4.Try a body scan: pay close attention to the physical sensations through your body.You can start with your feet, move up through your legs, abdomen, chest, back, etc.Try spending around 15-20 seconds for each part of your body.
5.Pay attention to your breathing: sit in a comfortable place, and notice the physical sensation of air filling your lungs, and slowly leaving.Its natural for your mind to wander off on other thoughts, simply notice it, and try and turn your attention back to the breathing process.
Apps such as HeadSpace or Calm can be really useful when practicing Mindfulness.
Dialectical behavioural therapy DBT incorporates Mindfulness Skills as one of its main areas of work, so if you need support, do reach out.