Ever feel like you are too busy to meditate? To center yourself and be present in your mind? This article is for you! Usually, the people that express they are too busy to ‘slow down’ are the ones that need it the most. Just as you plug your cell phone in every night, plugging into the present can be a great re-charge for your body and mind.
By definition mindfulness is; the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something. A mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.
Tips to stay mindful when you are busy
- A 3 minute breathing space. Developed by John Teasdale, Mark Williams and Zindel Segal, the three minute breathing exercise consists of 3 parts:
- Attend to what is. The first step invites attending broadly to one’s experience, noting it, but without the need to change what is being observed.
- Focus on the breath. The second step narrows the field of attention to a single, pointed focus on the breath in the body.
- Attend to the body. The third step widens attention again to include the body as a whole and any sensations that are present.
- Change up your routine. Sometimes breaking out of our regular routines help put things in perspective. You can even change up your regular routine by taking on a hobby you have always wanted to do or an activity. For example, if you have always wanted to learn how to ballroom dance DO IT! Adding moments in our regular routines give us life and bursts of excitement and energy.
- Be grateful. In moments throughout your day, take a second to pause and be grateful. Even when the world can seem chaotic, there are always things and people to be grateful for.
At Universal Spa Training Academy, we strive to deliver more than just education to our students in our massage therapy and aesthetics program.