Mental Health

In this article, lets see five simple steps to develop mindfulness. For some of us, mindfulness can look like a big zen and spiritual concept. For some, it can seem like a meditation exercise that’s too hard to practice. Some of you might have tried mindfulness but could be bogged down by overwhelming thoughts and distractions around. All of these experiences are true and valid! However, there is a simpler way to look at mindfulness. For now, get to the next section and try to follow the instructions. As you are reading this article, gently place your foot on the ground. Notice the ground beneath your feet. Feel the temperature and texture of the ground. Wiggle your toes and feel the ground. Notice the part of your feet touching the most and the least to the ground. While you are doing this, pause to listen to the sounds around you, from minutest to the loudest. Now gently bring your focus back to your feet and take a deep breath. Inhale and exhale. Voila! You did it! This is being mindful. Mindfulness is about being in the present moment by bringing awareness to your body, thoughts, feelings and your surroundings. Being present in the moment can be hard when our mind is jumping like a playful monkey. So, developing mindfulness can take conscious efforts and practice. However, we can develop mindfulness by taking small steps to weave mindfulness into our daily lives. Here are five simple steps to develop mindfulness. Mindful wake up: As the alarm rings, we can rush to close it and get started with our day. Instead, you can try mindful waking up. As you are in bed, try staying there for a minute and observe your body. Close your eyes if that helps. Notice the sensations in your body from head to toe. Notice the sounds around you and observe the things you can see outside the window or within your room. Focus on your breathing and then wake up gently out of your bed. Pause to observe: If you are on a busy schedule and don’t have time to allot for mindfulness practice, don’t worry! You can practice mindfulness while you are in a queue, while commuting, drinking coffee, or at a doctor’s appointment. You can pause to observe the sensations in your body, what thoughts are running on your mind and what feelings are you having. Slowly observe the things around you. Try not to make any conclusions and judgement of your feelings and thoughts. Notice and acknowledge, even when it’s unpleasant. Mindful eating: We usually tend to gobble the food down because we are late, or in a rush or we are hungry. Sometimes we eat food while binge watching our favourite show. Either of the reasons can lead to lack of mindfulness. So next time, for at least one meal, try to look at the colours and shape of your food. Pause and smell the flavours. Touch and feel the texture and temperature of your food. Take a small bite and notice all the tastes that’s present. Chew and hear all the sounds your food is making as you are munching it down. Mindfulness at work: It is natural to get caught up and lose the sense of yourself and time when you are working. But this can lead to exhaustion and fatigue, hence it is important to bring mindfulness at work. Set an hourly alarm prompting you to get up from your chair and walk around. Find a space at your workplace that feels refreshing and make an hourly trip to that space. Notice your breathing and take a minute to do deep breathing. Mindful goodnight: Going to bed is an important part of the day as you are giving your body the rest to recuperate. Imbibing mindfulness goodnight practice can set a ritual tone signalling your body to sleep. Before going to bed, take a journal or your phone to jot down one or two feeling words that come up when you think of your day (like happy, frustrated etc). Gently focus on your breathing and body sensations when you are jotting the feelings. Acknowledge the feeling without judgement and close your day (Ex, yes I’m feeling exhausted while I look back at my day.