The practice of living each day in the hopes of improving your mindfulness and wellbeing is becoming increasingly popular. As a collective, many of us are looking to relieve the stresses of modernity, to be more present in life, and to not let it pass us by.
One of the biggest factors that prevents an individual from taking some time out for themselves is that they don’t believe they have the time to spare.
The key to improving your mindfulness and wellbeing is by taking advantage of any small moment you can while planning ahead to book some real time to unwind. In this blog, we explain the principles of mindfulness and wellbeing while discussing a few ideas so you can reconnect with yourself at your own pace.
What is Mindfulness and Wellbeing?
Mindfulness is a state consciousness, a way of being more aware of ourselves and the world around us. It’s about being present in the moment without feeling overwhelmed by what’s going on. Practicing mindfulness has a direct influence on our wellbeing, as it can teach us to appreciate where we are and where we’re going.
With the dominating influence that social media and the online world can have on our day-to-day lives, it can be hard to disconnect and truly live in the moment.
Focusing so intensely on the biggest societal issues can make it easy to lose our connection with the little things the world has to offer — the sound of wind rustling through the trees, experiencing a glorious sunset without the need to take a selfie, and revelling at the thought of being at one with nature.
Mindfulness and Wellbeing Activities
There are a huge variety of exercises and activities you can do throughout the day to improve your state of mindfulness and wellbeing; from channeling mindfulness in your home life to improving your wellbeing at work. All have a variety of benefits, so let’s take a look at some of our favourite ways to boost mindfulness and wellbeing:
Home Life
Digital Detox: A digital detox is a period of time where you consciously take a break from all technology. Detoxing from the digital world helps you to focus on the here and now. Switching off from technology provides excellent benefits to your mindfulness and wellbeing, including:
- Improved quality of sleep — particularly if done immediately before you go to bed.
- A better maintained work/life balance
- Improved perspective on life away from the toxicity that can come with constant online access
- Reduced stress
- Improved self-esteem and confidence
- Healthier living
- Improved productivity
- Reduced anxiety and Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)
Walking: Walking is a great way to clear your mind and reconnect with the world. Whether you’re walking to work, to meet a friend or to simply get a little exercise, embrace the journey and appreciate each moment. Take a look at the scenery, breathe in the clean air and listen to the sounds of nature to experience the full benefit.
The Joy of Food: Eating is one of the great joys of life. However, with so many of us having busy lifestyles, it’s easy to forget the pleasure good food can bring when ready meals and take-aways are a simpler option. Taking time out to cook will help you to remember what quality food is meant to be like.
The sensation of new and exciting flavours can certainly help you to appreciate life a lot more, and so can eating the right kind of food. The freshness of a juicy piece of fruit, and the taste of well-cooked vegetables makes eating healthy a breeze, which in turn improves your physical and mental wellbeing . But don’t cut out all guilty pleasures; a glass of vino and some chocolate can put you in good spirits as well when enjoyed in moderation.
Work Life
Organise Your Mind: Setting a simple structure to your day, approaching tasks with an open mind, and not letting work get on top of you is a great way to improve your mindfulness and wellbeing while on the job.
Before starting work, it’s always best to draw up a to-do list. Try to organise items in order of importance as opposed to doing the easier tasks first. And don’t beat yourself up if you don’t finish everything on the list. Some tasks are harder than others, and unexpected hiccups can cause delays. If you know you did the best you could on that particular day, then it was a very good day all round.
Take Regular Breaks Throughout the Day: Trying to improve your mindfulness and wellbeing is easier said than done when you push yourself to the limit. In many cases, people will only take a break from their work when they start feeling the strain, but that isn’t the best method.
We should be taking regular breaks throughout the day to ensure we’re always feeling fresh and on top of the tasks at hand. Standing up and walking around gets the blood pumping if you’re sitting at a desk, and taking a few minutes to get some fresh air can clear your head and give you time to reflect on any task that’s puzzling you.
Don’t forget to drink plenty of water as well. Staying hydrated fights off fatigue, which can help prevent headaches, eyestrain and feelings of tiredness.
Chat With Your Work Colleagues: We spend a lot of time at work. You might even spend more time with the people you work with than your own family. But because of that, it’s important that you get along with them. The workplace can be very lonely if you keep to yourself all day.
Try to take lunch breaks with a new colleague every day, or maybe suggest a group of you go to lunch at the same time. Ask them questions about anything (other than work!) and show an interest when the discussions start rolling.
Friendships go a long way in improving your mindfulness and wellbeing, and you’ll learn to truly appreciate and value their company the more time you spend with them.
Living in the Moment
If you’ve ever seen the film ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’, you’ll know that life moves pretty fast and if you don’t slow down once in a while, you might miss it entirely.
Improving your mindfulness and wellbeing involves taking your foot off the gas, appreciating each moment as it comes and not letting isolated incidents bring you down.
At Live Off Grid, we’re all about enjoying life instead of hurtling through it. Taking a break in one of our repurposed shipping containers will help you reflect on what really matters, and we guarantee that the small tasks at work and swiping right on every social media platform won’t be at the top of your list.
Make sure to get in touch with a member of our team to enjoy a relaxing break where you are in control.
