Incorporating Mindfulness Into Your Routine
Posted on by Destiny Girard, LMFT
Mindfulness is a type of exercise commonly used in therapeutic practices and is meant to teach individuals how to stay attentive to their surroundings, live in the moment and calm their mind. It can be very helpful in managing anxiety and decreasing the stress from our daily lives. In my practice, I recommend to many of my clients to incorporate mindfulness into their regular routines at least a few times a week so that they are better able to manage stress and can think more calmly and clearly.
When most people think of mindfulness, they think of meditation (which is a part of it) and begin to picture people sitting cross-legged on the floor singing “Ohmmm.” Although that particular style be helpful for some people, others prefer an easier and more guided or structured style of mindfulness, such as the ones below.
- To begin practicing mindfulness, try sitting in a quiet area (complete silence not necessary) and ensure that your body is comfortable. Whether you’d like to sit or lie down is a personal preference, as is keeping your eyes open or shut, although having your eyes closed can help to keep you focused more easily.
- Now, begin taking nice and deep breaths by breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth in a slow rhythm. After taking several deep breaths you should notice that your body is starting to relax.
- Draw your focus to your sense of hearing and pay close attention to what you can hear around you. Describe either in your mind or out loud what you are hearing. For example, I hear a fan, a car going by, the sound of my breath, birds chirping, etc. Try to remain focused on your hearing until you are unable to identify any new noises. If at any point during this, you notice your mind wandering, simply bring it back to focus on what you are hearing.
- Next, repeat step 3 with all of the following senses: smell, taste, touch and sight if your eyes are open. For touch, pay attention to things like temperature, sensations on your body, feeling restrictions or areas of comfort due to clothing. Remain focused on each sense until you are no longer able to identify anything new. As said before, if your mind continues to wander throughout the mindfulness exercise, do not place judgment or shame upon yourself, simply acknowledge this and redirect your attention to where it should be.
- Complete the mindfulness exercise by refocusing your attention on your breath and taking several more deep breaths.
If practicing mindfulness in this way is difficult, try using some videos that are available on the internet. One of my favorite’s is Andrew Johnson’s “Moment of Relaxation.” Remember, taking even a few minutes out of each day to practice this can give you a deeper sense of calm and allow you to better handle the stresses that will come your way.
Learn more about our Couples Therapy Exercises