Who doesn't have it? You are busy with 1 thing, but your thoughts are elsewhere. I still have to do an assignment for school, I still have to study, I still have to go shopping, can I pay my rent? With mindfulness you learn to get thought out of your head and even think about the now. What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness is a form of meditation where you leave thoughts of tomorrow and become more focused in the now. It ensures that you even switch off the hustle and bustle from your daily life and can relax. One goal of mindfulness is relaxation and stress reduction.

5 tips to train mindfulness

Stare
Even take a moment and stare ahead. It's easier said than done, I get that. It helps to stare at 1 point and focus on that one point. The more you do this, the easier it will be.

Breathing
Make breathing work properly. Focus on what happened to your body while breathing in and out. Make sure that when you breathe in your stomach gets bigger and when you breathe out your stomach gets smaller. If you want to read more about how to breathe, read my article The diaphragm, our most important respiratory muscle.

Go monotask
What is monotask? This is the opposite of multitasking. Multitasking will cause multiple thoughts to wander through your head, which is what most stressors among us already have. So it's going to be even more chaotic. Doing just one thing at a time will help you relax and be more productive.

Keep a diary
Writing down your thoughts will keep your mind from getting full. In this way you may be able to get rid of your thoughts and worries. In this way a burden falls off you. Slow down

Do less
By simply doing fewer things that are not necessary, the burden in your head will be less. This will give you more time to yourself.

Mindfulness exercises

Recognize your body
Take a walk and experience and feel your body. Feel your feet touching the ground. Feel your legs needing to be lifted to take a step forward. Feel your breathing and experience how your abdomen expands.

Pay attention during a conversation
Start a conversation and listen to what they say. It doesn't matter what the topic I am as long as you focus your attention on what the conversation is about. And don't try to drift off to another thought.

Take your time
Nowadays we don't take the time for anything anymore. Everything must be rushed. Fast food, fast going to the toilet, fast walking, everything is rushed. Take it easy. Take food as an example. Take it easy and chew gently. Swallow consciously and wait a moment before starting the next bite. Pay attention to eating, so do this without a phone, tablet, TV or book.

Any questions or feedback? Message me.

Kind regards,

Sascha Bargi BSc. Pt. & MSc. Ost. in training