5 Minute Mindfulness
Offering proven benefits like stress reduction, improved confidence, and anxiety relief, who wouldn't want to cash in on the mindfulness trend? Unfortunately, the perception that mindful practices are time-consuming and difficult stops many from even giving them a try.
The truth is that mindfulness doesn't just mean sitting cross-legged and chanting hours on end, although it can look like that for some. Instead, mindfulness is a highly personalized practice, and you can take steps towards cultivating mindfulness in as little as a few minutes a day. The following techniques take five minutes or less and are a perfect first step towards a rewarding habit.
Simple Exercises
You don't have to do a formal meditation to experience mindfulness. At its core, mindfulness is simply about being fully aware of the present moment. The following quick exercises can help you get a feel for it.
Scan your surroundings. Take a moment to stop and recognize exactly what's going on around you. Start with the obvious, such as what's in front of you, then go deeper. What ambient sounds do you hear? Traffic noises, an air conditioner perhaps? What do you feel? Is it hot or cold?
Perform a body scan. Rather than scanning your environment, you may choose to scan your body. For beginners, it's easiest to do this systematically, starting at your feet and moving up slowly. Simply notice, without judgment, the sensations occurring in each and every region of your body. How do your feet feel inside your socks? Is there pressure anywhere in your legs, perhaps from how you're sitting? Work your way up in this manner, feeling everything that your body feels. For an added dose of relaxation, try tensing and relaxing each part of your body and notice if there is a difference in how you feel afterward.
Breathe through a mindfulness meditation. This last technique is what most people think about when they hear mindfulness, but it's much easier than you might expect. Take a comfortable position and close your eyes, then focus on your breathing and observe your thoughts. If you find your mind wandering away from your breath, acknowledge the thought without dwelling on it and gently return your attention to your breathing. That's all there is to it! Do this for five minutes at a time to start out.
No matter how busy you are, you surely have time to give one of these a shot. Try one just after waking up to center yourself, or take a quick break during work to calm your mind. A consistent habit will give you the best results, but the best thing about these techniques is that they can grow with you as you make mindfulness a regular practice. Simply increase the length or the depth of your meditation as you feel comfortable.