6 Techniques to Help You Become More Mindful in Daily Life

We have all heard about mindfulness. It could have been through a friend who began practicing it or through mainstream media preaching about its benefits. While we have a general sense of what it could mean, most of us probably haven’t delved into its depths yet.

In this article, we will dig deeper and understand what mindfulness really means, the benefits of adopting the practice as well as how one can use the practice in day-to-day life.  

Firstly, mindfulness is not equivalent to meditation. There is a lot more to it. Mindfulness is a state of being in the present moment without any judgments. It can be achieved with practice. 

It involves awareness as well as impartiality regarding what is gained through awareness. The focus is on the “right here, right now”.

Mindfulness has its roots in Buddhism and has been around for a long time. The purpose behind it is to-

• Know the mind: Through the practice of reflection without judgment, one can uncover more about their feelings, motivations, reactions and become meta-aware of themselves. 

• Train the mind: By knowing your own feelings, motivations, and thoughts, one can foster the capacity to stay relaxed in spite of one’s surroundings. This can help in the development of courage, virtue, and generosity among other qualities. 

• Free the mind: By detaching from non-beneficial thoughts and practices that one is clinging to, like anger and judgment, one can see more clearly and let go of unwanted emotions, thereby remaining relaxed while opening ourselves to more of what is positive. 

There are various benefits to the practice of mindfulness. This includes-

• Improved working memory

• A decrease in overthinking

• Lower levels of anxiety

• Reduced stress

• Help manage physical pain

Now that we’ve covered what mindfulness is and its benefits, let’s look at 6 exercises that can help to build mindfulness in different ways-

 1.   The Observer Meditation: This exercise helps in detaching us and the problematic domains in life that we may be over identifying with.

Start by taking a comfortable seated position and let yourself settle into your mind and body. Try and let go of wandering thoughts and shift your focus to the room you are sitting in. Picture yourself from the outside as you sit, exactly as an outsider might. Next, shift your attention inwards into your skin. Try and feel your skin as you are sitting in the chair. Envision the shape made by your skin as you sit in contact with the chair as you shift your awareness towards the physical sensations that you are experiencing.

As you feel each one, acknowledge its existence before letting your consciousness let go of it and move on naturally. Recognize any emotions that come up and create space for the post in which you bring your attention back to your observing self. Your feelings and thoughts exist but they are separate from you. This is the “Observer you”.

It is important to note that this is not an easy exercise and there are many stages you can work through that will help you practice being an observer of yourself.

2.   Five Senses Exercise: This exercise helps you practice mindfulness in almost any situation. You need to notice something you are experiencing with each of the five senses. 

Start by noticing five things you can see. Pick something that you wouldn’t normally notice. Next, notice four things that you can feel like the breeze on your skin or the surface on which you are resting your legs. Next, notice three things that you can hear in your surroundings. This could be the faint sounds of traffic nearby or the chirping of birds. Now notice two things you can smell. Lastly, notice one thing that you can taste. You may chew a piece of gum or sip a drink and as you do this notice the current taste in your mouth. 

This is a quick exercise and can help you bring your awareness into the current moment in a short period of time. 

3.   Mindful Walking Down The Street Technique:  Try to include mindful walking in your daily routine with all of your 5 senses. This will help your mind to become more aware of your body and your surroundings.

 As you start your walk focus your attention on your arms and legs, on how they are moving and how your feet feel pressed against the ground. Sense the breeze touching your skin, the leaves of the trees and the sound it makes against the trees. Bring your attention to your surroundings, to nature around you. Observe any butterflies or any other insect in your path. Observe their movement and the sounds they make.

4.   The 3-Minute Breathing Space: This is the perfect mindfulness exercise for those with busy lives and busy minds. There are three sections to the exercise, each for a minute.

Firstly, answering the question “how am I doing right now?” while focusing on the feelings, thoughts, and sensations that arise, and trying to give these words and phrases. Do this for the first minute. For the second minute, keep awareness of your breath. The last-minute is spent expanding the attention outward from the breath and feeling how your breath affects the rest of the body. 

The process of keeping a quiet mind can be challenging so the idea is to not block thoughts that appear in the mind but to let them in and disappear again. 

5.   Observe A Leaf For 5 Minutes: This is a simple exercise that requires a leaf and your attention. Take hold of a leaf and focus your attention on it for five whole minutes. You will notice the various patterns, textures and lines on the leaf that will enable you to bring you into the present and align your thoughts with your current experience.  

6.   Mindful Eating: This exercise calls for you to pay attention to what you are eating. Notice the food that you are holding, how it feels in your hands. After you have paid attention to the weight, colour and texture of the food then bring your attention to the smell.  Now, eat the food slowly with your attention focused on it. Notice the texture and taste against your tongue. This exercise can help you to discover new experiences with foods that are familiar. 

These exercises are beneficial to individuals across age groups and while for some a particular exercise may be better suited than others, trial and error can be used to select the exercise that best suits you. It is important to recognize that the process involves the training of the mind and like any other exercise, it will take some time to show benefits. One must approach the process with self-compassion and perseverance. Allow for flexibility, change, and reflection throughout the process.