20 Simple Mindfulness Practices to Add in your Daily Life

Are you just going through the motions of life without actually being present? 

That might be the story of most of us. In this busy world, nobody has the time to pause and reflect on their daily life. Especially in this pandemic, we spend most of our time watching Netflix and don't even realize when morning turns into night. Our attention is also pulled in different directions because of social media. We don’t have the time to appreciate the little things that bring joy to us. These situations can lead to physical and mental stress. 

One of the ways to get out of this rut is to practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is all about paying attention and staying in the present. It helps us to stay aware of our thoughts, surroundings, and everything else that's going on in our life. Practicing mindfulness has a lot of benefits. Some of them are:

• It improves our overall well being
• It improves our physical health
• It helps in reducing stress and anxiety
• It helps in improving focus

I get it! Not everybody has the energy or time to incorporate mindfulness into their daily routine, no matter how good it is for you. But here are some easy fun ways to practice mindfulness that won’t take much time to do in your day-to-day life. 

20 simple ways to be more mindful in your daily lives:

1. Take a mindful shower

Most of the time we just enter and rush out of the shower as fast as we can. It’s very rare that we pamper ourselves with extra attention while showering. I am not asking you to pamper yourself daily but take the time to notice the temperature of the water and how it feels on your body. Make sure to be fully present and not get lost in your thoughts.

2. Stretch daily

Movement is important to your body. Our body needs to move, it’s not made to just sit in one position. And what better way than stretching. Nothing feels as good as stretching after sitting for too long. Relish the experience and take the time to stretch once in a while. 

3. Eat slowly

How many times have you rushed through your breakfast because you are late for work? How many times have you finished eating your lunch and dinner without even realizing because you were too engrossed in your Netflix show? This is not doing you or your body any good. Take some time to appreciate the food in front of you, express your gratitude, and eat it mindfully and slowly.

4. Keep a journal

Write down your gratitude list or write your thoughts down in your journal. You can even write about the whole events of the day you had at the end of the day. Penning down your thoughts has this magical effect to take your stress away and give you a sense of purpose.

5. Drink water mindfully

Drinking water is one of the greatest things you can do to your mind and body. But you also have to be mindful about drinking water. Take a full pause in between your day and drink a full glass of water. 

6. Slow down

Once in a while, it's good to slow down and just reflect. This will give you time to rearrange your thoughts and will help reduce your stress. Just lie down and focus on breathing. 

7. Practice Yoga

Yoga is proven to be good for your body and mind. Practicing yoga can help in staying in the present. 

8. Meditate

Meditation is great for calming your mind. It is a very useful approach to knowing how to be mindful. 

9. Set aside time for family and spend some quality time

Spend some time with your loved ones and make sure to give them all your attention. Spending time with your loved ones will also help in making your relationship better with them. 

10. Take a detox from phones and devices

Social media detox once in a while is a must in this digital world. Taking a break from your phones and other devices will help you focus your attention on the important task that you need to do. It will considerably calm down your thoughts without all the distractions. 

11. Use colouring books for adults

I know it might sound silly but this one really helps. You can find adult colouring books online. They are very therapeutic and are known to reduce your stress and anxiety. You will stay completely in the present because the focus will be on filling the pages with colours, nothing else. 

12. Listen to a song and pay attention to the beats and lyrics

How many times have you just put on some music and it just faded into the background? I am sure it happens a lot of times unless you are going through a bad break up then every word and beat of the song hits you hard. You can still enjoy the song with full effect without a breakup. Notice and feel the lyrics and the music and get lost in the song wholly. 

13. Reconnect with your friends

Ping your friend on WhatsApp, initiate the conversation. I know it might feel awkward at first but trust me it will feel good to reconnect with your friend. 

14. Feel your heartbeat

It is as simple as it sounds. Place your hand on your heart and just feel your heartbeat! It is the easiest way to stay present.

15. Uni-Task

Stop multitasking! You are not achieving anything. Your attention gets divided and you are not able to give your 100% on the task. That’s why it is necessary to do one task at a time. 

16. Watch the sunset

Take a break from your work (or binge-watching) and go watch that beautiful sunset. Nothing grounds you more than nature. Nature has a way to calm us and compels us to leave all the worries behind. 

17. Wake up gently

Don’t rush out of your bed and pick your phone first thing in the morning. Take a pause and feel grateful for this new day. Wake gently and give your body time to fully wake. 

18. Pay attention to your surroundings and people

It’s easy to get lost in our phones or thoughts when we are surrounded by people. Look around and pay attention to the people around you and your surroundings. You might see something spectacular!

19. Declutter your home

We generally go in this automatic mode when we start cleaning our space. We mostly just space out and just finish the task. Start cleaning your home mindfully and pay attention to every task you do. The act of clearing and organizing allows you a few minutes of focused mindfulness.

20. Do something you love

Spend time doing something you love, it can be cooking, dancing, reading, sports, anything! When you are doing something you love, you get totally immersed and focus all your attention on the activity. It will help in staying in the moment and be fully present. 

What practices of mindfulness are you going to add to your daily life? Comment down below and tell us your ways of staying mindful!