5 Easy Mindfulness Exercises to Boost Present-Moment Awareness

When we think of how to structure our lives, we think of packed schedules, constantly working overtime, and accepting that we probably can’t get eight hours of sleep a night.

We choose to work a little too hard because we think it’s normal and that’s what everyone else seems to be doing. Because of this, it’s easy to forget to take time out of your day to be more mindful.

Thankfully, there are ways to incorporate being mindful into your daily routine that will help you be more present and enjoy life in the moment instead of always thinking of your next step.

Here are 5 ways to practice mindfulness and be more present in your life.

Focus On Your Breathing

Concentrating on the way your breath feels as you inhale and exhale is one of the easiest ways to practice mindfulness meditation. It is associated with meditation practice, but you don’t have to stop everything you’re doing and meditate for half an hour.

Pausing to take a few breaths before moving on to your next meeting or before tackling the chores will help you slow down and take in the moment before you continue with your plans.

Incorporate Meditation Into Your Daily Routine

Meditation is a common practice these days. It’s used in yoga classes, and it has gained popularity in recent years because of its ability to calm your mind, increase concentration, bring clarity, and heal your body.

Meditation helps you recharge before you start your day or it can help you unwind before you go to sleep. It can also decrease your anxiety or worries.

In addition, meditation doesn’t have to take 30 minutes to an hour to complete. Meditating for a few minutes a day is enough time to calm yourself.

Meditating for longer periods of time is more desired for a full-body recharge, but if you can’t squeeze that into your schedule, a time period that works for you will work just as well.

If you still want to try meditating for longer periods of time, try meditating on the weekends.

Another way to incorporate meditation into your routine is through yoga.

Practicing yoga at home or taking a yoga class is a great way to increase mindfulness and help you be more aware in the present moment (present-moment awareness).

Yoga classes usually have a meditation portion at the end of the class to help you relax and focus on your breath. You’ll also become more flexible and it’s a way to help you exercise as well.

Whether you can only meditate for 10 minutes a day or you take yoga classes weekly, slowing yourself down will help you be more aware and present in your day-to-day life.

Become More Aware Of Everything

Much too often, we brush off our surroundings and the people around us because we want to get to our next destination or we have too much on our plate to think about our environment.

Another way to practice mindfulness is to become more aware of everything.

This can be anything from noticing the sound of the trees, the smell of someone’s perfume or cologne, the taste of your food, the way a shower feels, or the way the sky looks. Noticing little details in your day will help you slow down and be more present.

When you eat a meal, you can observe the food arrangement, how it smells, and how it tastes as you eat it. This way, you can enjoy your meal and be more mindful at the same time.

When you’re out and about, noticing the people around you and how the buildings and landscapes look will help you take in the moment without needing to take time out of your day to be mindful.

People-watching is an interesting practice. You can take note of what the people around you are doing and ask yourself what kind of life you think they might lead or why they might be in the same location as you.

In addition, if you find yourself zoning out when you’re running errands or doing chores, take the time to be more aware of these events.

Even if they might seem like mundane tasks, becoming more aware of them will make the work more meaningful.

There’s Always Something To Be Grateful For

Practicing gratitude is another way to improve your present-moment awareness.

When you practice gratitude, you’ll find more ways to enjoy your life and be more grateful.

You can practice gratitude by writing it down in a journal.

At the end of the day, you can write about anything that happened that day to make you more grateful. You can write lists of what you’re grateful for each day.

When you start practicing gratitude regularly, you’ll be able to improve your awareness and mindfulness of what happens in your life.

Don’t Forget To Forgive Yourself

Nobody’s perfect, and that’s a fact we all have to live with. No matter how hard we try to be the best version of ourselves, there will always be days that won’t be as nice as others.

On top of that, there will also be days where we forget to be mindful because we’re swept up in the busyness of life. And that’s okay.

If you forget to be mindful, it’s okay to forgive yourself for it. If you find yourself being inconsistent with your meditation and you can’t always find the time for it, you should forgive yourself.

And if you notice that your mind wanders from time to time because you can’t concentrate or you notice that you’re zoning out, it’s okay to forgive yourself for that too.

There are many stressors that come and go throughout our lives. Sometimes you can’t control what they are, and they might take you by surprise. When that happens, it’s important to learn to be forgiving.

Don’t be afraid to talk to a therapist about the issues bothering you.

Mindfulness Meditation For Anxiety

Practicing mindfulness and being aware in the present moment isn’t about being perfect at it. It’s about trying your best and remembering to look back on what you have accomplished.

Even when you think you haven’t come very far, when you take the time to reflect on it, you’ll realize that you’re most likely more mindful than before.

If you follow these five mindfulness exercises, you’ll find that yourself noticing more details about your life and that you’ll have more present-moment awareness.

Harmony Place is a safe haven for those who may be struggling with addiction and want to practice mindfulness. Here at Harmony Place, our main focus is on potential and to create customized plans for clients. We provide a peaceful facility for clients’ needs and concentrate on spiritual, physical, and mental health. If you or a loved one would like to attend Harmony Place, please call us at 1-(855) 652-9048 or visit our website for more information.