Mindfulness is the practice of being present in each moment, something I think we don’t do enough. Whether it’s our smartphones or the hustle and bustle of work, we often don’t take a minute to pause and observe our surroundings and appreciate the present moment. Many people want to know how to be more mindful and sometimes think that to be more mindful, they have to carve out half an hour each day to meditate but in my opinion, that isn’t the case.
Instead, I think there are plenty of small habits that allow you to be more mindful in pretty easy ways throughout the day. So if you’re looking for more ways to be mindful, check out this list of occasions where you can practise being mindful.
The 7 principles of mindfulness
Mindfulness is a great practice that can help with many things in life like bettering your relationship with food, your stress levels and your ability to let go of the things that bother you. I like it because it’s simple yet can be so effective at allowing you to find a sense of grounding. Better still, it’s a practice you can do almost anytime, anywhere!
Here are the seven principles of mindfulness that will give you a better understanding of what a mindful mindset looks like.
- Non-judging – this principle is all about facing the world with compassion and patience without labelling things as good or bad. This also applies to ourselves. Sometimes we can be hard on ourselves, just as we would with others.
- Patience – it’s important to be patient and appreciate that things often take time. Your mind and the virtues you want to embody take time to develop so be kind to yourself along the way.
- Beginner’s mind – look at things as if they were the first time you have observed them. Be curious to learn just as a child who is discovering new things for the first time.
- Trust – it’s also important to trust yourself and remember that you will always make mistakes along the way but you can always trust yourself in the end.
- Non-striving – this reminds us that we don’t always have to force the matter but instead learn to live in the moment we are in right now. Embrace the present moment and appreciate it for what it is.
- Acceptance – similarly, acceptance reminds us that we cannot control everything and must accept things for what they are from time to time.
27 ways to be more mindful in daily life
There are many ways to be more mindful in life so here are 27 examples of this that might allow you to bring a little more calm throughout your day, find a sense of grounding and maybe even more perspective.
1. Pause before conflict
We’ve all been there where a driver pulls out in front of you when they weren’t supposed to. Perhaps they even shout at you and it makes you feel upset. Be more mindful by taking a pause before you react to potential conflict.
Mindful approach: You could look at this situation and instead of reacting in anger accept that this individual may be having a bad day. Even if that’s not the case, you can choose to accept that some people are simply like this by nature and arguing back might make things worse. This does not have to affect you for the rest of the day when you choose to let it go and walk away.
2. Stretch in the morning
I often wake up in the morning and just don’t feel great, even if I’ve had a good night’s sleep. I usually find that having a good stretch in the morning helps with this and it can even reset my mood.
Mindful approach: Be kind to yourself and remember sometimes you will wake up and not feel brilliant from time to time. Give yourself five minutes before you do anything else to perform some deep stretches across your body and get your blood flowing. Notice the sensations that arise when you move your body in different ranges of motion.
3. Eat your food slowly
Mindful eating can help you to better your relationship with food according to some research. Mindful eating is the practice of taking more time with your food and therefore being able to listen to your body’s hunger signals whilst enjoying your food more as you eat it bite by bite.
Mindful approach: Sit down to have your meal and take your time as you eat it. Chew eat bite properly before you swallow and enjoy each flavour and texture. Sometimes we rush our food or even have it on the go but sitting down and taking your time might be more enjoyable. Treat it like a ritual and something worth slowing down for as you nourish your body.
4. Turn off the news
Sometimes the news can be stressful. It seems like there’s always an avalanche of negative news that flows our way each day with only a sprinkling of good stuff.
Mindful approach: Turn the news off and watch something more engaging like a good movie that engages you for long periods. There are many negative things in the world we hear about these days but they are usually out of your control so I think it’s a good idea to shield yourself from them by cutting down on your news viewing.
5. Leave your phone at home
When was the last time you went out with friends and left your phone at home? I can’t remember how many times I’ve done this but I usually find that when I do leave my phone at home or at least leave it in my pocket during an evening with friends I have a better time.
Mindful approach: Being distracted by your phone is a bad habit we all fall into. Whether constantly checking messages or using our phones to take endless photos, they take up much of our attention. Now and again, try leaving your home at home or in your car, or even just in your pocket for longer periods so you can be fully present with your friends or family for the evening. It might sound a bit silly but truly think this can help you have a more mindful experience with others.
6. How am I feeling right now?
Asking yourself; “how am I feeling right now,” is a great way to be more mindful. You can do this whenever you feel the urge to check in with yourself or when you’re feeling a bit stressed.
Mindful approach: Ask yourself how you feel right now without judging yourself or your situation as good or bad. Simply observe the emotions you’re experiencing in a compassionate way. This is a good way of pausing in your day. There doesn’t have to be a conclusion to this exercise, just observe how you are feeling for a moment without judging yourself or your emotions.
7. Call a friend
Calling a friend out of the blue is a great way to be more mindful and share a special moment with someone for no other reason but to simply listen to them.
Mindful approach: Consider calling a friend for no particular reason but to simply just check in with them. No doubt your friend will really appreciate this and it will help you to be more mindful. Practise listening to them without judgment or giving advice, just be a pair of ears for them to offload onto.
8. Pause at work
Everyone has stressful moments at work, in fact, work probably provides us with the most stress we have in our lives. Sometimes it can help to take a pause at work as a way of being more mindful and putting things into perspective.
Mindful approach: When you’re feeling stressed at work, take a minute to pause and observe your emotions without judging yourself. Ask yourself if what you are doing is really within your control or if you need to let anything go. For example, if someone is upsetting you, can you control their behaviour? or might it be better to accept they could be stressed themselves? I personally try not to react but to let them calm down in their own time. It’s not always easy but I find it can help diffuse the situation rather quickly.
9. Read about something new
With a beginner’s mind mindset you have the ability to view the world with curiosity just like you once did when you were a child, when the world seemed so open and new.
Mindful approach: Find something that is completely out of your usual realm to read and learn about. This could be a book about a subject you aren’t particularly interested in or simply just an online article. Read without judgment, simply digest the information for what it is as you read it. I like doing this because I usually find a whole new world opens up to me.
10. Tell someone you appreciate them
Share a special one to one with someone by telling them how much they mean to you. Doing so could lead to a longer and more open conversation and an even better relationship long-term.
Mindful approach: You could do this by phone but it could be even better to do it in person. Most people will be caught off guard when you suddenly tell them how much they mean to you but it can help you to have a special and unique moment together, fully immersed in the present with a great sense of compassion and love.
11. Notice the things that pull at you
Take a moment to check in with yourself throughout the day. This is a perfect way to be more mindful. What are the things that pull at you right now, the things that you do through habit?
Mindful approach: Notice what you do throughout the day. Whilst it’s not easy to not label them as good or bad, be compassionate as you observe your actions and habits. Are they serving you well or could you be doing something that makes you feel better? Don’t judge yourself, just take note of the things you do throughout your routine that you maybe haven’t paid much attention to previously.
12. Flesh out your intentions
Having your intentions for the day, week or month can be helpful and give you a clearer picture of what you want to achieve and why, especially if you’ve ever experienced a lot of brain fog like I have in the past.
Mindful approach: Take a moment to write down your intentions for the day. Flesh them out by writing a sentence or two to give yourself an idea of what you are going to do that day or what you’d like to achieve. Be patient with yourself and don’t aim for anything too unrealistic.
13. Observe your breathing
One of the best ways to be more mindful (and most accessible in my opinion) is to observe your breathing and then take a few deep breaths. There are many things that cause our breathing to get shallower and therefore we can feel a bit more stressed than usual.
Mindful approach: Whether you feel stressed or not, it can be helpful, in my experience, to check in with your breathing from time to time. Are you breathing in a shallow fashion? Sometimes you can feel much calmer after you’ve taken a few deep breaths.
14. Go for a walk
Walking is a great way to be more mindful as you leave the world behind and simply observe your surroundings and the many different sounds that can come from a place like a forest.
Mindful approach: Set off for a walk, preferably in nature without expectation or a plan. Just set off by yourself or with a friend and observe your surroundings. This is a great way to explore and look at things you don’t normally see in your day-to-day life and a great time to observe your thoughts in a non-judgmental way if you’re by yourself. Plus, being in nature has many other positive benefits.
15. Journal about your day
Journaling has many benefits but it’s also a way to be more mindful at the end of your day.
Mindful approach: Write down what happened in your day in your journal but try to avoid labelling each event as good or bad. Don’t worry if nothing particularly special happened, just write down the key moments that stood out to you. This is a great way to reflect on each moment you live in. Plus, writing in itself is a great way to be mindful and focused and just empty your head of all its thoughts!
16. Practise letting go
When something that would usually bother you happens, try and practise letting it go.
Mindful approach: Does it really affect your life or will you still be okay if you let go of the situation? It’s easy to be upset by the things that happen around you but by letting go you lose that weight that attaches to you. Remember that things do not have to affect you if you so choose.
17. Be kind to yourself
We’ve all had moments where we look in the mirror and want to change something about ourselves, including me, but I think it’s important to be mindful and compassionate towards ourselves in these situations.
Mindful approach: Remind yourself that you are unique. There is nothing good or bad about you, you are just existing in this moment like everyone else. Be patient with yourself if you do want to change something because it will take time and a little bit of learning along the way.
18. 5 senses exercise
The 5 senses exercise is a great way to not only be more mindful but also to ground yourself in the present moment by simply using your senses.
Mindful approach: To ground yourself using this mindfulness exercise, find 5 things you can see, 5 things you can touch, 5 things you can smell, 5 things you can hear and 5 things you can taste. Of course, not all of these will be appropriate all the time so the best way to do this exercise is to focus on 5 things you can touch and 5 things you can see. Observe and feel them and look at the different textures and colours you find and you might find you feel more grounded in the present moment.
19. Indulge in your hobby
Everyone has a hobby of some kind but sometimes the busyness of life can make us put them on the back burner. Mine, for example, is writing. When I write, the time disappears and I become fully engaged in my hobby.
Mindful approach: Carve out some time in your week to do your hobby. Tell those you need to that you’ll be doing your hobby and so will not be available for that period of time so you don’t get distracted in any way. Engage in your hobby without too much expectation, just immerse yourself in the task at hand to give yourself the chance to become fully present.
20. Single-task
Many of us have got used to the idea that juggling more than one task makes us more productive but that could not be further from the truth. When you’re spinning multiple plates there’s no way to be truly focused on a task, especially a task at work.
Mindful approach: Get used to doing one thing at a time so you are fully attentive to the task at hand. Take your time and be patient with yourself as a job worth doing is a job worth doing well. You don’t need to strive to pull yourself too thinly. Instead, find a deep focus on one thing before you move on to the next.
21. Schedule mindful time
All of these different ways to be more mindful can’t be realistically done all the time so it might be more useful to schedule mindful time when you know you can be distraction-free for an hour or two.
Mindful approach: Instead of getting disheartened when it can seem hard to be mindful throughout your day, schedule some time when you know you can practise these tips. Perhaps it will be easier to do mindful exercises on your lunch break, in the evenings or even on the weekends when you do things like walking in nature. Once again, be patient and compassionate with yourself and don’t go all in straight away.
22. Make eye contact
Another way to feel present is to make eye contact with those you’re talking to.
Mindful approach: Look people in the eye when you’re talking to them to let them know you’re listening to them. This is a great way to feel as if you’re sharing a meaningful moment with someone.
23. Pause social media
Social media is great for many things but there’s no doubt it saps our time and pulls at our attention throughout the day which can often feel like the opposite of being mindful.
Mindful approach: Take note of how many hours you spend on social media. Try to refrain from judging yourself when you do this but just observe this in a non-judgmental way. Ask yourself if you feel mindless when you scroll your phone and how that makes you feel. This might help you realise if your scrolling is a useful habit when it comes to what you want to achieve during your day.
24. Go on a play date
When was the last time you went on a play date? We used to go on play dates when we were children but we don’t play enough as adults, in my opinion.
Mindful approach: Suggest to a friend you go out on a play date somewhere new so you can both discover a new activity together. Do this without expectation, only to let the experience lead you naturally. In my experience, this is often exciting and allows me to find that child-like curiosity once again.
25. Cook something new
As creatures of habit, we tend to go back to the foods we know we like. I find that I stick to the meals I know and enjoy and eat them over again. This is partly because they fit into my particular diet but it’s arguably through habit too. But sometimes this can lead to mindlessness, in my opinion.
Mindful approach: There are many food options out there and I think cooking something new can be one of the best ways to be more mindful. You get to read up about the dish, find the ingredients and then get to cooking. I find this to be a fun activity that helps me to be fully focused as I follow the cooking steps. Try your new dish without too much expectation but just for the new experience, even if you end up not liking it too much.
26. Arise slowly
It’s easy to rush out of bed in the morning and go through the usual motions. Sometimes I find this can lead to things feeling a bit like “Groundhog Day”, where the days of the week just kind of blend into one.
Mindful approach: When you wake up in the morning, do so slowly. Observe how your breathing is and how calm your body feels before you really get going and ready for the day ahead. Notice if your muscles feel stiff or sore and be gentle with yourself if you don’t feel your best. Take a moment to sit and be silent before the hustle and bustle starts.
27. Observe your thoughts
One of the most simple mindfulness practises is to sit and observe your thoughts without labelling them as good or bad but just observing them without judgment. This is a great exercise to ground yourself in the present and I think it can be best done when you’re taking a moment first thing in the morning.
Mindful approach: When you take a pause before you get going in the morning, sit for a moment and observe your thoughts. Are you thinking about the past, present or future? If you find you’re stuck thinking about anything other than the present moment, gently bring you’re attention back to right now. A good way to help with this is to focus on your breathing first as an anchor point.
Ways to be more mindful: conclusion
There are many other ways to be more mindful but I think these ways are quite easy and accessible to most people. However, I think the best way to be more mindful is to just keep doing something simple regularly, making it a habit and making it a part of your daily routine.
Have you got any of your own ways of being mindful throughout the day? I’d love to hear them in the comments.