Mindfulness
These days being busy is often mistaken as being productive. In a society where being constantly on the go is seeing as an achievement you can be assured that multi-tasking is viewed as the ultimate way to stay organized.
How often haven’t we stated in an interview (when listing positive traits and what we can bring to a company) that we are expert multi-taskers?
The downside to constantly ticking things off on a to-do list and answering e-mails in a constantly full inbox is that the more we complete, the more we feel we need to. Switching off sometimes feels like a trend from life before the pandemic. Leaving that e-mail for tomorrow feels unforgivable.
Add the fact that we are constantly contactable makes it difficult to practice mindfulness.
So I have started making this a priority. Small steps towards a calmer mind and a healthier work-life balance and I am including the following changes:
Daily meditation. Practicing deep breathing and concentrating on the here and now has been a game changer.
One day a week offline is not always possible so I make a concerted effort to spend one day limiting my time online. I spend less time on social media and even set my Insta account to remind me when I’ve gone over the daily amount of time on the app.
Reading a book instead of aimlessly scrolling which ties in with the above.
Practicing gratitude daily. Listing what has brought joy.
De-cluttering - this has been big for me.
Learning to let go. An ongoing journey but well worth the trip!
Switching off my data on weekends. As convenient as Whatsapp can be, I find it often drains my time and energy.
Not answering social DM’s immediately. If I’m busy I’m busy! I work fulltime and my time in the evenings and weekends is precious.
Spending time outdoors. Even if it is just a cup of tea in the garden. Taking a break in a busy day is essential. Ever heard the saying “Slow down to speed up”?
What about you? How do you practice mindfulness these days? I’d love to hear more tips and advice!
xx