Top mindfulness tips for wellbeing from CPF’s Mental Health Coordinator, Louise Tierney.
Based on my experience following several years of delivering mental health and wellbeing training, when most people hear the word ‘mindfulness’, they instantly say, “I could never do that.” Or even, “I can’t just sit cross-legged with my eyes shut for hours”.
Often, until people have a period of poor mental health, or they begin to struggle in some way, they may never attempt to engage in mindfulness and find out what it really is all about. My thoughts are that if we are too busy to do something that could improve our mental wellbeing, we may need to do it for twice as long!
Jon Kabat-Zinn, professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and one of the world-leading authorities on stress reduction, defines mindfulness in this way: “Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgementally.”
We are human beings, not human doings… but we spend every minute, of every day, doing, doing, doing, and not being. We are so busy we are missing things; the beauty, the quality, and many more wonderful experiences that each day can bring us if we allow it to, by really noticing.
So how do we start our journey to being more mindful? Here are five ways we can start to try this out. There are many more ways too, so if these don’t suit you, please don’t give up. Hold back from judging how it’s going until you have tried a technique for at least a few weeks. Mindfulness is a practice that really can bring calm into your everyday life, that will reduce your stress levels and add to your mental capacity.
The breath
All of us breathe, but we could all breathe in a way that can have a positive impact on our mental wellbeing too. The breath can be an anchor that we can use to centre ourselves. This shouldn’t only be when things become overwhelming, but every day, preferably for at least 10 minutes or more, as a way of having some quiet time to practice being more mindful. To start, breathe in and out, staying focussed on the sensation as the air comes through your nostrils into your nasal passages and lungs, holding it, then breathing out fully for slightly longer letting all the air flow out.
The senses
Make sure that as you go about your day you take time to notice your senses, what you can see, hear, smell, taste, or touch. This can be a wonderful way to be mindful, appreciating what is around you, and can be a good distraction from any problems that you have at the time. It will give you space to clear your mind and carry on afterwards with a more positive outlook and attitude. This will not make problems disappear but will allow you to decide on how to deal with them calmly, prioritising where to start the process of seeking help and support.
Eating
Eating mindfully can be something that really changes how you feel about food and mealtimes once practised regularly. This can include everything from choosing what to cook, preparing the food, setting the table, and lastly eating the meal. Start with thinking about what you want to eat then go through the process focussing totally on the food, how it feels and looks, aromas that cooking brings, how the finished plate looks so inviting, to finally tasting each bite slowly and mindfully. Notice the release of flavours and the sensations associated with eating, chewing slowly until you notice feeling satisfied, then stop and reflect.
Walking
We can walk the same way every day without noticing anything or anybody because we are deep in our thoughts, plans or worries. Once again, we are missing out on the things around us that could give us pleasure in the moment, through looking and focussing on our surroundings. Take time to fully observe. Consider if this was the first time you had seen the trees or flowers around you. What stands out the most? Notice sounds, colours and smells. How your feet feel as they meet the ground. Practise letting go of thoughts, emotions and other distractions and just walk. When these come, accept them in a non-judgemental way and go back to your walk, immersing yourself in your surroundings.
Gratitude
Gratitude is an aspect of mindfulness that can benefit our feelings of wellbeing by allowing us to want what we have, instead of always striving for what we don’t, which only leads to us feeling dissatisfied. Gratitude brings a warm kind attitude to us. A way of practising this can be as we go to sleep each night spend a moment thinking of five things that we are grateful for. Or it could be saying thank you to someone who has done something for you; letting them really know that what they did made a difference to your day. Simply being grateful to be alive, with food to eat, running water and the ability to sense all can give us a ‘sense’ of what we have and how lucky we truly are.
If you would like to know more about mindfulness in your organisation, why not ask about one of our employee wellbeing webinars.