The word ‘mindfulness’ seems to be a popular one at the moment. You may be wondering exactly what it means and what it involves. It is simply putting yourself in a position to be more focussed and aware of the present moment. We live in such a busy and fast-moving world, that right now we are almost being forced to be more aware of slowing down.
Don’t worry – being mindful doesn’t have to be as complicated as you may think. There are so many easy and effective ways you can practice mindfulness, which can be done even whilst sitting at your desk or whilst cooking dinner. These tools and activities are sure to boost your mood, reduce unwanted stress, and worry and make you feel that little bit clearer.
Here are some of our favourites!
Make a playlist of your go-to feel-good songs
Music makes us feel good – it’s just a fact. So why not take some time to sit down and trawl through Spotify picking out songs that instantly make you smile and bring about that lovely feeling of nostalgia? Then once that playlist is looking good, having a boogie around your house to it! You are welcome.
To get you started, you could check out the playlist we recently made here at SuperFastDiet, with the help of our Super Squad here!
Sit Still for a Few Moments With NO Distraction
Yes, we mean don’t touch your phone for a few minutes. I know – this might seem daunting. But trust us, it will do you a world of good. Technology is often part of the reason we develop stress and worry, as we are overloaded with constant access to information and news, and not all of it is positive – as we can all agree with at the moment especially. So, we encourage you to try some of these simple activities…!
- Take 10 deep breathes with your eyes closed.
- Do a guided meditation. We have some in our program, or you can find plenty online!
- Sit outside and listen to nature – the wind, the birds, the waves. Maybe even wake up and watch the sunrise one morning!
- Trace your hands. Using your index finger trace the outline of your hand, going up and down each finger, and then do the same with the other hand.
- Do a body scan. Do you have any aches? Soreness? Tightness? Be aware of what needs work!
- Read a chapter of your book. It is hard to find time to read sometimes, but reading is a sure way to calm and distract you from what is going on around you for a little.
Put Pen to Paper
Getting creative by putting your thoughts to paper is so therapeutic. Dumping it all onto paper whether that be through words or art can allow things to be that little bit clearer. Some ideas?
- Do some drawing or painting. This could be from an adult mindful colouring book or just start doodling and see where you end up. Get those artistic juices flowing!
- Do some journaling. How are you feeling? What was positive and negative from your day?
- Write down what you want to achieve. What are your goals? It doesn’t matter if they’re short or long term! It could even be 3 things you want to get done tomorrow.
- Write down your bucket list! This is always fun and allows you to have a whole list of amazing places to go and activities to do to look forward to.
Eat Mindfully
By this we mean, don’t do anything else but eat and enjoy your food. It is common practice in the jam-packed, distraction-filled world we live in to multitask whilst eating. This might mean having the TV on or eating whilst sitting at your desk working. Of course this is fine, but why not give ‘mindful eating’ a go and see how you feel.
This might sound strange, but the aim of mindful eating is to appreciate your food more. It allows you to feel rather than judge taste, fullness and satisfaction when it comes to your food. And studies say it keeps you fuller for longer! #winning
Move Your Body
It is no secret that moving your body in any way will do wonders for not only your body but your mind too. It doesn’t have to be absolutely flogging yourself to exhaustion – don’t worry. Some of the best ways to practice mindfulness whilst exercising are through:
- Going for a walk. Head outside and notice your surroundings. You could even count some or all of your footsteps as you go.
- Doing some yoga. Stretching and moving muscles that aren’t usually worked is really important. It could be a simple as a 5-minute stretch every hour or so. There are some easy and effective moves for you to try in this blog, explaining yoga’s benefits and it’s strong connection to weight loss.
- Have a dance around your house with your loved ones or do it solo! An instant mood booster.
Practice Gratitude
It is no secret that practicing gratitude is an extremely powerful tool when it comes to mindfulness. This is a tool of perspective and allows you to realise the positives in your life, that you may otherwise not think about on a daily basis.
So, as often as you can, think – or better yet – write down 3 things that you are grateful for today. It could be as simple as the sun coming out or your morning coffee! Being grateful for the little things will allow you to an extent, put into perspective everything going on around you, and notice that even though times are tough, this won’t last forever, and there is still good going around!
Keeping your mind healthy and as stress-free as possible is always crucial, but right now, it is more so than ever! Try out some of these tools and activities today. We hope they help!
To learn more about our great current offer and joining the SuperSquad, click here.
