Our environment and lifestyles are so fast paced, that meanwhile we actually don’t know how to slow down. In addition to this we are also never really alone, so it can get quite tricky to implement mindfulness in your everyday life. Despite that there are many different ways to implement mindfulness in your every day life…….today I am sharing only a few ideas and hope to get you started on this extremely beneficial way of living:)

Let’s start with a few simple steps that you can implement in the morning:

• don’t start your day by rushing, instead take the time to wake up. Enjoy a cup of coffee or your favorite tea, or take the time to meditate for a few minutes, or go for a walk or a quick workout
• start each day by thinking of one thing you are grateful for – it could be anything, the point here is to start your day on a positive note
• don’t rush to look at your mobile first thing when you wake up, this will cause you only additional stress. I know that this could be extremely difficult, but look at it only when you are ready to leave for work

Once you are at work:

• take a break on regular basis to breath! A lot of times when we are stressed out or under pressure we don’t breath properly……so make it a habit to stop and make sure that you are breathing properly
• make sure that you get up and take a walk down the hall, or take the time to make yourself a tea – simply take a break from what you are doing to rest and recharge your brain and mind
• at lunch time, make a point to put your mobile, or pad away and focus solely on your meal – how does it taste, what ingredients is it made out of, any herbs that you can pick on, how do you feel, how does your body react to the meal, are you already full, etc
• once you are done with your lunch, take a few minutes to take a walk outside…..and again instead of looking at your mobile, simply pay attention to your environment, to the colors and noise around you, may be you are noticing something that hasn’t caught your attention up to this point

In the evening:

• try to have dinner at least 2 hours before you go to bed – this way your body will have enough time to digest the food and you will be able to sleep better
• I know this one is super hard, but trust me, it is absolutely worth it – turn off your mobile 15 to 30min before you go to bed. This will allow for your brain and mind to calm down and relax
• this might also be difficult for some of us, but don’t go straight from watching TV to bed. Instead, turn it off 30min before you go to bed – again this will allow your mind and brain to relax and get ready for a good night sleep
• light some candles on, and listen to relaxing music you enjoy
• at the end of each day, think about one thing that you are grateful for in that particular day – this will give you the opportunity to end the day on a positive note, no matter how difficult it might have been

In general, even if it is only 15 min, make sure you take time for yourself each day. There are many activities that might help you incorporate mindfulness in your life. Here are some of my favorite:

• meditate – I start and end every day with a 20min TM meditation
• journaling – I don’t do journaling every single day, but I find it a nice way to reflect on a difficult day or situation. It helps me see things from another prospective, and possibly see the positive in that particular situation
• go for a walk or a run – the fresh air and being outside always frees my mind and relaxes me
• do a workout – when I am working out, I am completely focused on me and this helps me relax as well
• yoga – I love starting my Fridays with a yoga session
• sauna or massage – the perfect way to simply relax and enjoy a few moments alone

In the beginning it might take some effort on your part, but in my personal experience it is totally worth it. With this I want to challenge you to find your way of implementing mindfulness in your life.

Stay healthy

Anna