How Mindfulness Helps Stress - 4 Ways to Do It
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Published 2018-04-25
Mindfulness is simply paying attention to your environment, activities, and thoughts in a neutral and non-judgmental way. So you’re limiting your thoughts to your present situation. if other thoughts intrude on the process, you bring your attention back to the present.
Practicing mindfulness helps declutter your mind. When your mind gets cluttered, you feel stressed. This can come in the form of feeling tense, tired, overwhelmed, and irritable.
Not only does an overloaded mind affect you negatively, but it can also affect your relationships with the people most important to you. If your mind is overloaded, you can become emotionally unavailable or not fully engaged with people around you.
How do you remedy this problem when you have a busy life that you can’t change? You live each moment mindfully.
Here are four steps to start practicing mindfulness
1. Be aware. This means to be aware of everything in your environment, as well as everything you’re doing and thinking. Keep your focus on the present moment.
2. Don’t multi-task. Do one task at a time. You’ll actually be more efficient if you complete one thing at a time anyway.
3. Be intentional with mundane tasks. Be focused on the task rather than getting the task over with. So If you’re washing dishes, focus on washing each dish, and keep repeating until all the dishes are washed. If you wash the dishes while thinking about how much you hate washing the dishes, You still get the dishes washed, but if you do it mindfully, you finish with less negativity.
4. Listen when others are talking. Don’t think about your to do list or what you’re going to say next . Listen to every word the person says as if you need to repeat it back to them.
I challenge you to Spend 10 minutes each day in mindful activity. You may want to make it toward the end of the day when your mind is most full. See if it helps you unwind and relax.
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All Comments (21)
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WATCH NEXT - MEDITATION VS RELAXATION FOR ANXIETY https://youtu.be/lx8-wrUI1hA
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Mindfulness isn't just a trend; it's a necessity in our fast-paced world.
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When you have severe ADHD it is like playing ping pong with your mind....constantly dragging your attention back to present. It is exhausting.
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I have autism and adhd and practicing mindfulness has changed my life. I no longer assume the negative, when my trauma calls me an idiot or slow I recognize that it’s just a voice from the past and that I need to accept myself for who I am because I can be no one else. Thank Dr.Marks for making this powerful short video that I could easily share with others
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"be focused on the task, rather than getting the task over with.". Very important
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Since I saw my friend's new born discover her little hands, I repeat the hands discovery ritual every time I wake up feeling depressed or every time I feel helpless. I look at my hands and start rotating and moving them right in front of my eyes and meditate that I have been given them and I can control their movements and I can use them to do many things. It always feels better. Doesn't matter what I can use them for. Maybe I can just lace my shoes, but it will feel just very right and empowering that I can do that.
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This morning I sat outside with the dogs for a few minutes before I started getting ready. I paid attention to my surroundings. I'm going to try doing this more often
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So this is why I play video games - easy to be in the moment. I had no idea I was practicing a life skill. The driving example is a great one too. To add to it, turn off the radio, roll down the windows, and just listen. Even if you're stuck in traffic. Really puts you in the moment.
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Great tips! I’ve been practicing mindfulness as part of my sleep therapy and it really does help me relax better and not be so “ hurried”. You’re a wonderful doctor!
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dr marks, it feels like youre speaking to me. it helps a lot. thank you
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I have depression and anxiety and have found that being mindful and in the moment is one of the strongest tools I can use on the fly. It really slows your brain down positively and is like a form of on the run meditation. Great video.
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Thanks so much Dr Marks. I have placed a bird feeder outside my window. When I work from home-or whenever I am unduly anxious- I try to remember to take a moment to watch the birds at the feeder. It calms me down, shuts off negative thoughts, and makes me laugh. When I return to my busy stressful tasks, my heart is much lighter and I can find gratitude once again.
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“What’s the problem with thinking too much?” Gee, Doc, why you have to call me out like that? 😂
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I am starting to be more mindful when listening to people and it is really helping my relationships. Thank you
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As a senior bipolar with years of up and down experiences and way too much stress, Mindfulness found me about 14 year ago. Honestly, I think that every bipolar needs to incorporate this modality into their being. Once established it can break or lessen cycling...Thanks.
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I've attended the mindfulness program at a hospital 5 years ago, and that transformed my life so much. For the first time in many years I felt like I was living my life and loving it. Then a sequence of poor decisions was made and I'm back to my depressed self. I notice how my thoughts are often wandering in different directions, so many memories come to mind, and that's overwhelming. So I have to learn to live mindfully again, but this time I will make sure that I don't make choices that don't work for me.
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You’re the best!! Unconsciously I always tend to focus on those details, I also imagine the day to day of the people I see.
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Thank you, I’ve noticed that Caring for children is one way to be mindful as they need our undivided attention to make sure they are safe etc. I’ve found that when I am being mindful I tend to not hear or see interruptions. So often I miss my stop when travelling on the tube if I chose to read a book or article. I often find my mind flooding with information and ideas of things to be done after a meditation period.
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Thank you. To the point, avoid regressing and ruminating. Keeping your thoughts in the present is essential to enjoy life.
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Thank you! This is the best straightforward, no nonsense, no “hocus pocus” description and guidance of mindfulness that I have come across. Very helpful and useful video. 🙏
