In 2010, a Harvard study found that 50% of the time, people think about something other than what they are actually doing. “A human mind is a wandering mind, and a wandering mind is an unhappy mind,” the authors write in a journal for the Science. Fast-forward to eleven years later, and here we are, the development of the Internet and the rise of social media making our minds wander more than ever.
The study found that when your mind wanders, you’re more stressed out and unhappy than when you stay in the here and now. But is staying in the “now” possible, you ask, especially when we live in a modern world where speed, technology, and the hustle culture coax us to do many things on top of the other?
We’re not saying It would be easy, but if there’s anything psychologists and mindfulness gurus could teach us, is that we can train our minds without compromising productivity. Want to live a happier life? Here are simple things you can do to live in the moment.
Multi-tasking is over-rated. In fact, studies show that multi-tasking is not healthy at all, and that most of the time, it leads to poor performance and ultimately, unhappiness.
“That means to not use tabs when I browse the internet but to just be fully engaged with one thing online at a time. It means to not use my smartphone or my computer as I also try to watch the TV.”
Instead, try to accomplish one task at a time, and observe how your productivity level will improve.
This technique helps remind ourselves of where we are, physically and physiologically, acting as a release, or a kind of stepping back to check on ourselves.
For example, during your lunch break, set aside your phone and TV, and just enjoy eating your meal. Enjoy the taste of your food, every bite and morsel! Tell yourself, I am here, enjoying my freshly-prepared gourmet dish. It’s delicious, and I’m loving this moment.
To engage your sense of smell, do a self-care routine where you light a scented candle, or use an essential oil. Learn to set aside time to sit back and relax while playing your favorite music. Use noise-cancelling headphones if needed.
Anxiety can really cut into our ability to pay attention, so it’s important that we learn to check in with your body, also called the body scan.
The body scan will only take five to fifteen minutes of your time. First, lie down, or get into a comfortable position. Check in with the four parts of your body, using the acronym CALM (C-chest, A-arms, L-legs, and M-mouth).
Focus on how you’re feeling with each body part, taking deep breaths, then relax your body zone by zone.
“Mindfully pay attention to everything from your head down to your toes and without judgment or bias, acknowledge feelings and sensations that come up. This not only brings awareness to the body but also provides the opportunity to release tension before it builds up,” says Erica Hornathal, founder and CEO of Chicago Dance Therapy.
But here’s what you can do for starters. Choose one activity that you perform regularly, for example, cooking. Try to focus on the act of cooking, chopping ingredients, opening the stove, the sizzle of the pan, the smells as the ingredients mix together.
You can start by doing this one mindful activity each day. Overtime, you can apply this trick with all the things that you do.
But this actually feeds on anxiety and intensifies stress levels. The trick is to learn to slow down. You’ll find that in the long run, doing things at a relaxed pace won’t take much longer than rushing through it.
Slowing down would not only reduce stress levels, but also help you learn to appreciate what you’re doing, even finding joy in it.
Early in the morning, as you drink your cup of joe, say “now I am drinking coffee.” As you wash your face, “now I am washing my face,” and so on…
It’s an effective and easy way to stay in the moment, and relish being in the present. And by doing so, keeps your mind off the worries over the past, and anxieties over the future.
As studies have shown, a wandering mind is an unhappy mind, and true happiness can be found in staying in the present. Try one of these tricks and see how living moment to moment can enhance and enrich your life.
Tags
https://www.mindful.org/a-quick-calming-body-scan-to-check-in-with-yourself/
https://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/five-senses-grounding-technique
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2010/nov/11/living-moment-happier
https://www.mindful.org/slow-down-to-get-ahead/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2020/06/01/how-to-steer-your-mind-back-into–the-present-moment-amid-pandemic-anxiety/?sh=2e1820186718
https://medium.com/mind-cafe/3-simple-ways-to-stay-present-2b0dac64264c
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