Incorporating fun mindfulness activities into your busy week can help you feel more founded, calm, and focused.
#1: Choose One Daily Task to Do Mindfully
For example, you can drink your morning cup of tea or coffee mindfully by putting your phone down and paying attention to the flavor, aroma, temperature, and textures of your cup. Another simple thing you can do is to walk mindfully by listening to all the different sounds you can hear in your environment, feeling the ground underneath your feet as you walk, or looking out for objects you have never noticed before.
#2: Give Yourself Space to Feel Your Emotions Without Judgement
This is a great activity to do towards the end of your day to help you check in with yourself and your needs. By simply asking yourself “how am I feeling right now?”, you allow yourself to truly observe your emotions and to create a space to fully experience them.
#3: Have a Mindful Conversation with Someone You Care About
Connection with other people is an important aspect of feeling loved, supported, and heard. So, why not incorporate mindfulness into an activity that will help you nourish your relationships? Ask a loved one if they have time to have a chat with you. Let them know that you are excited to hear how their week has been and explain that you would like to have a conversation without any distractions, like the television or phones.
#4: Engage in Something Creative
Painting, gardening, writing, cooking, sewing, building things, using coloring books, planning a trip, or even playing an instrument can be a great activity to engage in. There are so many different ways to express creativity. When we immerse ourselves in creative activities, we often naturally experience mindfulness. We are not thinking about anything except the present moment because we are too busy experiencing the creative activity.
#5: Spend Time in Nature
Being in nature is not only a great way to incorporate more mindfulness into your life, but there are also a number of other potential benefits, too. In 2019, a study found that spending two hours in nature every week was associated with good health and well-being. This study involved interviews with over 20,000 people and found that participants who spent at least 2 hours in nature each week were less likely to experience mental health distress and poor physical health, like obesity and cardiovascular disease. The researchers also found that spending time in nature did not have to involve exercise – it could be a simple as going to a park and sitting on a bench.
Learning how to be more mindful has become so important. It can do so much for your overall health and wellness and has become something many would benefit from focusing on a little more.