There’s no doubt that the last few months, or basically all of 2020, have been extremely stressful. With a global pandemic, the switch to online learning and working all on top of an election year has spared no one of the heightened levels of stress. In times like these it can be hard to separate our work and school lives from our home and personal lives leaving little room to de-stress and recharge. While incorporating more mindful activities into our daily routines seems like it would be a great way to decompress and tackle each day, it can be hard to find the time to fit these activities into our daily schedule.
Mindfulness consists of paying greater attention and becoming more in tune with your body, mind and other surroundings. Becoming more present and putting aside other distractions during simple daily activities can lead to overall improvements in our health, happiness, and relationships. While mindfulness can be easily incorporated into so many different parts of our lives, here are three of my favorite ways to add a few minutes of mindfulness into my life.
- Mindful Eating
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I definitely find myself falling victim to multitasking during mealtimes. Whether I’m scrolling through Instagram during breakfast, in the middle of class for lunch, or working on a paper during dinner; I’m definitely not paying attention to the food I’m eating and how it’s making me feel. By taking a few moments to push any distractions away during meals, and really paying attention to the food I’m eating, the speed I eat it at, and appreciating the ways in which I’m nourishing my body can help to prevent accidental overeating that leads to discomfort, fully engaging my senses and promote overall well-being. Even incorporating these tactics into one meal a day can make a big difference in your relationship with food and your overall health.
- Mindful Walks
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While I love to tune into some of my favorite songs or catch up on podcasts on a walk, sometimes it can be super beneficial to totally unplug and let your mind wander while you take a little break for a walk throughout the day. By really paying attention to your surroundings and the way your body is moving and responding to it can help your physical health as well as your mental health as activities like walking helps to reduce stress, improve your mood and promote better sleep. Even a short, yet mindful, 10-minute walk around campus or your neighborhood can make a huge difference in your day.
- Meditation
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To many, meditation sounds intimidating, confusing or just too hard to do. Meditation has so many proven benefits such as increased self-awareness, imagination and reduced stress. However, it can be a little tricky to fully dive into. I recommend finding even 5 minutes at the beginning or end of your day to follow a dimple guided meditation to help you start your day or wind down before bed. By making the effort to consistently meditate each day, it will soon become a standing and vital part of your routine. I love to use apps like Headspace or Insight Timer that offer a variety of guided meditations on topics like stress or self-love with different time limitations to better fit into your day.