Have you ever wished your thoughts had an off switch? Perhaps you have a million things on your to-do list, which keeps growing as time goes on. Well, you’re certainly not alone in this. In today’s world, our attention is being pulled in every direction, so it’s no wonder you feel exhausted mentally.
A common suggestion is to practice mindfulness, which often goes hand-in-hand with meditation. But if sitting in silence and focusing on breathing isn’t exactly your thing, there are countless other ways to connect with the present.
So, if you want a different method of giving your brain a break, here are 7 mindful activities that can help.
As simple as it may seem, there’s something about folding paper that’s soothing. Perhaps it’s the way your hands move with purpose, or maybe it’s the quiet focus. Tessellations, folds that fit into each other on a 2D plane, are especially good for mindfulness.
The best part about origami is that it requires no special skills. If you can fold a sheet of paper (it can be any sheet of paper on hand), you can begin folding origami at home. Remember: the goal here isn’t perfection, but rather, to focus your thoughts on crafting something beautiful.
Don’t know where to begin? Luckily, there are countless origami tutorials online. Start with simple designs, like an origami heart, and move on to more complex tasks as you see fit.
In your youth, did you zone out for hours on end with a coloring book and a crayon? Well, as it turns out, there’s a bit of magic in coloring. And best of all, it’s not just for kids!
At its core, coloring forces you to pay attention to the task at hand, inviting you to take things slowly and let go of whatever’s racing in your mind. When coloring, you choose specific colors, stay within the lines (maybe?), and watch as your image comes to life, one color at a time.
Forget about fancy coloring supplies, which can be expensive and another source of headaches. Instead, print a few pages from the internet and color them in using whatever colored pencils or crayons you have on hand.
For many of us, it can be impossible to recall the last time we dropped everything and just took a walk. The key here is to go for a stroll without any distractions. i.e., the gadget in your pocket that’s constantly buzzing with notifications.
Going for a walk without your phone (or with it set to airplane/silent mode) is one of the simplest ways to stay in the present.
The goal here isn’t to get your 10,000 daily steps in, but rather to keep your heart rate up. Slow down when you need a bit of rest, or pick up the pace if you have the energy. The first step can be the hardest, but as you walk out the door, you may find yourself focusing more on the passing clouds, the chirping of birds, and everything else that isn’t your smartphone!
Cooking can be a rush, especially when you’re racing to entertain guests or to keep the family’s stomachs full. And after the food’s ready, you still have to think about serving and cleaning up before finally winding down, if that’s even a possibility!
Despite the rush oftentimes associated with cooking, you can learn to become mindful of this everyday chore. Pay close attention to the rhythm of chopping vegetables, the fragrances of spices in hot oil, and the softness of the dough as you knead it in your palms.
Here’s a bonus tip for you: let your children get involved in the cooking and baking process! Give them simple tasks like washing and peeling vegetables. This allows you to focus more of your time and energy on the more intensive parts of baking or cooking.
Off the top of your head, you can probably think of at least five things that are going wrong, missing, or need fixing. Adversely, thinking of things going right in your life may take a bit longer. This, unfortunately, is an issue many of us deal with daily.
Starting from yesterday, you should take note of everything good in your life by recording it in a gratitude journal. The tiniest details, like hellos from a co-worker to the largest ones like finally taking a walk without your phone (did you take a nature walk yet?), don’t leave anything out!
Journaling positivity in your life is a powerful method to retrain your brain. Instead of dwelling on the bad, you focus more on the good. The more often you do this, the better it gets, and the more you start to put all the little things into perspective. Just remember to be honest!
Unlike humans, plants don’t rush or multitask. They grow with time, seemingly unnoticed, and with care. Why not get involved in this calming project by starting a backyard or indoor garden?
Tending to a garden, regardless of scale, can bring some rhythm back into your life. Pulling weeds, misting ferns, and repotting a succulent. Everything in gardening requires careful attention, and it’s hard to worry about work emails when you’re tending to something that needs you.
If you like the idea of meditation but want to get physically active, yin yoga is the way to go. Yin yoga focuses more on holding passive poses for long periods. While doing so, you focus more on your inner self—i.e., your emotions.
While traditional yoga has its benefits, yin yoga takes it down a notch by including pillows and blankets to maintain your poses. Flexibility isn’t necessary since yin yoga is all about remaining still. And the longer you hold a passive pose, the more tension melts out of your muscles and thoughts.
Mindfulness is about letting go of the stresses of life and feeling more grounded. Oftentimes, inner peace manifests with the simplest activities, during the quietest of times. Give one of these mindful activities a try and see what works for you. While your mind may be busy with everyday life, it doesn’t have to remain that way.
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