According to Mind, mindfulness is a technique which involves paying attention to what is happening in the present moment, and doing so without judgement. It involves focusing your attention on what’s happening at that exact moment in time. Being fully aware of every thought, feeling and sensation that you have. It means paying attention to your surroundings. Being aware of what you can hear, what you can smell and how you are feeling. Mindfulness is all about improving mental health and stress management by encouraging people to acknowledge their experiences, without getting completely caught up and overwhelmed by them.
A thought pops into your head, you let it go. Your mind starts to wander, you bring it back.
As someone who has struggled with their mental health, I am a firm believer in doing everything you can to keep yourself grounded, on track and at one with your thoughts. It’s okay to feel a negative emotion. It’s okay to feel stressed, sad or anxious. Mindfulness is there to help you to better manage these experiences, by helping you to relax.
There has been a lot of talk about mindfulness lately. I’ve certainly heard more about it in the last few years than I have done previously. But, it’s by no means a new idea. Mindfulness has been around for many, many years – in fact, it has a lot of links to Buddhism and meditation – but it’s not just for those who are spiritual. It’s more than just a passing trend.
Your Crash Course in Mindfulness
Unless you have purposely gone out of your way to avoid mindfulness, you will have heard about it. It’s something that a lot of people, including successful business owners and entrepreneurs embrace, and there are various benefits to doing so. Mindfulness often involves meditation techniques – such as focused breathing or body exercises – which help you to develop and strengthen your ability to be present and self aware. But, mindfulness goes far beyond meditation.
Mindfulness focuses on your breathing, embracing tranquillity and paying attention to what’s around you. There is a lot of information out there on the various techniques available, including from the NHS.
You can make mindfulness part of your daily activities. This includes eating, walking or hanging out with friends. Whatever you are doing, mindfulness can help you pay full attention to the experience and to live in the moment. It’s obviously a beneficial practice. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be as popular or as recommended as it is. Mindfulness has really integrated itself into various aspects of modern life, and it’s unlikely to be going anywhere soon. Instead of being a phase or a fad, it has become a key way for people to improve their wellbeing and quality of life.
How Mindfulness is Boosting Productivity and Reducing Stress
People who practise mindfulness will have different reasons for doing so. But, a lot of the appeal is to do with boosting productivity and reducing stress. This is especially true in the world of business. Mindfulness has quickly become recognised for its positive impact on mental and emotional wellbeing, and this translates to the workplace. It has already been incorporated into various therapeutic approaches and personal development practices, but mindfulness is quickly making its way to professionals and those who feel overwhelmed with the pressures of running a business.
Research has shown that regular mindfulness practice can reduce stress, anxiety and depression. This all makes it a lot easier to succeed professionally. Seemingly small changes such as being able to focus and pay attention for longer can have a huge impact on your workload and your overall career. Plus, mindfulness helps to enhance emotional regulation and psychological resilience. If you are struggling with stress or a mental health condition, this can make it a lot easier to handle whatever comes your way.
Feeling Cool, Calm and Collected
People get different things out of mindfulness. But, there is a common ground of feeling a lot calmer and less stressed. This is why it’s quickly becoming an essential practice for today’s fast paced world. Instead of feeling overwhelmed and snowed under with everything that life entails, mindfulness helps to make everything feel a lot more manageable.
Has practising mindfulness helped you?
