What is Mindfulness? 

Mindfulness is a tool for reducing stress and anxiety. When you practice simple mindful moments, you can begin to connect with your inner world. Mindfulness allows you to be present and show up for your life. 

Mindfulness allows the busy pace of this fast-paced world to slow down for a moment. 

When you are mindful, it helps you know when to say yes and when to say no. 

By being mindful, you can be in your life instead of having your life run you. Mindfulness is not spiritual or religious. It is simply a way of interacting with the world that can bring peace and calm. 

Mindfulness is something you can incorporate into your day and does not require you to find extra time. It is simply pausing and being in the moment. 

In this post, you will find practical ways to incorporate this practice into your daily life. 

Ways to Integrate Mindfulness Into Your Day 

Your morning tea or coffee 

As you prepare your coffee, use this moment to notice what you notice. Do you hear any interesting sounds, such as a bird chirping outside? Take note of what sounds you hear. 

Now, notice your body; how do you feel? Are you tired, peaceful, energized, or bored? 

Now, before taking your first sip, feel the warmth of your mug. Take a moment to feel the heat of your cup. Can you feel the warmth going through your fingertips? Can you feel your hands warming up as you feel the warmth from your mug? 

Now, smell the aroma of your drink. Are there any particular scents or notes that stand out to you? 

Last, take a sip and notice the flavor of your beverage. Be mindful of the sensations you experience. Can you taste the subtle flavors?  

Now, go about your day. You just had a mindful moment, which didn’t cost you extra time. Give yourself a high-five. You were successful.

Know you can do any part of this mindful moment. You can do all of the steps or one of the steps. You did terrific if you did all the parts or just one part of this mindful moment. 

Pause and feel your feet before starting to work 

When you take a moment to pause, ground, and take a deep breath, you are giving yourself time to notice the moment and center. 

With time, you will notice yourself feeling more centered and grounded when you give yourself a moment of pause before you begin your workday. When you are more centered and grounded, you are saving yourself some time. When our minds are racing, and we push through the day without being mindful, we can waste a lot of time feeling busy and rushed. 

You can save time too, by taking a moment to jot down a list of the most important items to do today. Place this right on your desk as you prepare for your day, and you tend to be feel more confident and relaxed, knowing that the essential tasks are getting done. 

To center yourself when you arrive at work, take a moment to pause. Start by feeling your feet on the ground. Feel the stability beneath your feet. 

Next, take a deep breath and let go of any stress or worry you may be carrying on your exhale. 

Last, say something positive to yourself, and start your day. 

Take a deep breath before responding to a text

Every time you respond to a text, take a moment to take a deep breath. This process doesn’t have to take long. Take one deep breath. 

To add some extra stress-relieving power, breathe in the feeling of peace. Breathe out your stress. Then, answer your text. 

Set a timer before going on social media. 

We live in a world where social media is part of our daily lives. Set a timer before mindlessly scrolling and losing minutes to hours of your day. 

Decide how long your social media break will last. Then, set a timer. When the timer goes off, move on to something else. Be kind to yourself when transitioning from social media or other online activities. While you might not want to stop doing something you feel you are enjoying, you honor your commitment to yourself if you stop when your timer ends.

Set specific times for responding to emails or chats 

Allow yourself to be in the flow and finish chunks of work without interruption. Schedule times during the day to check your email messages and work chats. 

Switching between tasks requires the brain to reorient itself each time, consuming time and cognitive resources. Research has shown that task-switching can lead to a 40% loss in productive time.

Focusing on one task at a time allows you to be fully present. When you are present and focused, you make fewer mistakes and move through tasks with greater speed. 

Share your process with your colleagues so they understand when to expect you to respond. While you might not always be able to avoid interruptions, you can reduce them this way.

When brushing your teeth, be present 

Allow yourself to ignore the constant stream of chatter going through your mind and instead notice the feeling of brushing your teeth. 

If feeling the bristles of your toothbrush causes a sensory overload, notice the room or look out a window and notice the outdoors. 

You notice by looking at the different shades of color or the sounds you hear. 

When you are done, focus on how you are feeling. Notice how it feels to let go of the constant chatter in your mind. 

After parking your car, take a moment to pause 

When you arrive at your destination, before leaving your vehicle, take a moment to pause and notice something good that has happened in your day.  

Our minds will often notice the negative. It is important to pause momentarily and see what is going right.

When leaving your vehicle, take a deep breath and notice something that went well with your day. Consider having a cheerful reminder in your car to help you practice this mindful moment.

Before going to sleep, do progressive muscle relaxation

When your head hits your pillow for sleep, take a moment and do progressive muscle relaxation. 

This simple exercise allows your body to let go of the day’s stress and find relaxation. 

Progressive muscle relaxation is gently tightening and releasing a muscle group. 

If you are having trouble focusing on this exercise, try the progressive muscle relaxation in your Cadey app and follow along. When your mind wanders, simply bring it back to the exercise. 

At bedtime, take a moment to notice what has gone right or find gratitude 

Make a habit of pausing to notice what went well during your day. We are designed to notice what could have gone better. This simple exercise lets you connect with what has gone well and reduces stress, anxiety, and worry. 

Often, when we are about to go to sleep, we start to think about all that needs to get done the next day, or the person who wronged us, trauma, and a lot of other negative thoughts.

Change this negative loop and allow your body to find rest. The best way to do this is to change your focus. Take a moment to bring your attention to what has gone well and find gratitude. 

When practicing this exercise, you can keep it simple.

Examples of things you can notice 

I made it home safe in my car today 

When it was raining today, that felt so peaceful 

I enjoyed seeing the sun on the way to my car

My kid said the funniest thing

I appreciated that my friend called 

I loved the taste of my morning coffee 

My cell phone is working 

I love the warmth of my bed 

I am grateful my refrigerator is keeping my food cool 

My washing machine is working 

I am thankful I can hear 

My taste buds are working well 

When eating, notice your first bite 

When you take your first bite of a meal, take a moment to notice the texture and flavor of your food. Can you taste the subtle flavors? Allow yourself to enjoy this moment. 

So often, we mindlessly eat when we are in a hurry or eating on the run. If you don’t have much time, take a moment with one bite of food. If you have more time, try it with your entire meal. 

Fully listen to another 

Often, when someone is talking, we are not fully present.

Once a day, listen actively to another person without preparing your response while the other person is talking. 

When your mind wanders, simply bring your focus back to what the other person is saying. You will be surprised at what you notice when you are not busy preparing your response. 

Spend 10 minutes a day being fully present with your child 

Research shows that the quality of time you spend with your child matters the most. Take ten minutes every day to be fully present. 

With a young child, it would look like being fully immersed in a game of catch or being with your child as they show you their toys. If your mind begins to wander during this time, bring it back and focus on your child. Comment on your child’s play; just state what you notice.

For older kids five and up, fully listen to what they share with you. If your mind wanders, bring it back to their conversation. You are not teaching or sharing your thoughts at this moment. You are fully present for what your child is sharing with you. Share back what you are hearing. This activity will increase your level of connection and closeness. 

Allow Mindfulness to Be Easy

Allow mindfulness to be easy. Pick small moments in your day to be present. 

When you first start, it may be hard to be fully present. As you practice, it becomes easier. 

Mindfulness is not about stopping all the chatter in your mind. It allows the chatter to exist while you focus elsewhere.  

Find these tips helpful. Book a demo to learn how to make Cadey a part of your everyday life.