Mindfulness Routine - Intro
Are you living in the present moment? That’s the goal of mindfulness. It’s not exactly about being relaxed or immune to stressful and challenging situations. It is about being in the present moment - fully aware of what is happening.
The opposite of mindfulness is automatically reacting to everything. If you react to everything in that way, you lose control, which is not helpful in building the best version of you. To take control of your life, mindfulness is essential.
Here is a complete routine for you to develop the ability to be in the present moment.
Habits
Morning
Mindfulness
DESCRIPTION - Mindfulness is a skill that will help you to pay attention to the present moment without feeling overwhelmed. When you focus on the present moment, it’s a lot less likely that your emotions will be very intense. By practicing mindfulness on a consistent basis, you develop an attitude of non-judgment, openness, and acceptance of the experience just the way it is at any moment. A simple way to practice mindfulness is single-tasking. Do one thing at a time, and focus only on it.
ACTION - Practice single-tasking on a regular basis.
5X / WEEK
Best Time of Day: Morning
Meditation
DESCRIPTION - Meditation is the most common way to practice mindfulness. Even though some people find it uncomfortable, it is a very simple and effective way to develop the skill of paying attention to the present moment. It has been found that long term meditation promotes neuronal plasticity and improves cognitive function, especially in attention and working memory. Don’t worry if you get distracted, it’s normal. By practicing regularly, your ability will improve.
ACTION - Practice mindfulness meditation at least 3 times per week for 10 minutes.
6X / WEEK
Best Time of Day: Morning
Any Time of Day
Practice Mindful Eating
DESCRIPTION - With the daily grind, it's common that we don't even have enough time to eat. This can lead to weight problems, poor digestion, and less healthy choices at mealtimes. In fact, there is a risk of eating in response to anxiety. Mindful eating means focusing only on your food, with all your senses, and avoiding all distractions.
ACTION - Practice mindful eating on a regular basis.
2X / WEEK
Best Time of Day: Any
Mindful Work
DESCRIPTION - You might associate mindfulness only with relaxation and rest, but this is not the case - being in the present moment involves all activities, even work. When you don't focus only on your work, productivity decreases, and with it, stress and anxiety increase, negatively affecting your mood. When you are working, avoid distractions, put your phone away if it is not a priority, and immerse yourself in one activity at a time.
ACTION - Focus on one thing at a time and try to be fully aware of it when you are working.
7X / WEEK
Best Time of Day: Any
Behavioral Activation
DESCRIPTION - Behavioral activation is a way to avoid procrastination and time-wasting. It helps to create a flexible routine of activities directly related to your interests and values. Remember, you must focus on one activity at a time and give your full attention to it. The first thing you must do is define some values and interests, and then you will be able to find activities that are compatible.
ACTION - Define your values and interests and set up a weekly routine of activities.
1X / WEEK
Best Time of Day: Any
CBT Worry Postponement
DESCRIPTION - One of the most frequent obstacles to mindfulness is constant worry. When you're worried you can't focus on the present moment, and you spend your energy thinking about what hasn't happened yet. To lessen this habit, set a time in the day to worry. Every time you have a thought about something that worries you, remember that you have a schedule for doing so. At first, you will have to make an effort, but gradually it will become automatic.
ACTION - Set a time of day to worry and avoid doing it outside of this moment.
7X / WEEK
Best Time of Day: Any
Why Core Habits are Important for Mindfulness
Plus Core habits
Sources
ExpandCollapse- A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Nature-Based Mindfulness: Effects of Moving Mindfulness Training into an Outdoor Natural Setting. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6747393/
- Mindfulness Meditation Is Related to Long-Lasting Changes in Hippocampal Functional Topology during Resting State: A Magnetoencephalography Study. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6312586/
- Mindful eating. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/mindful-eating
- Mindful Eating: The Art of Presence While You Eat. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5556586/
- Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on employees’ mental health: A systematic review. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0191332
- What is behavioral activation? A review of the empirical literature. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20677369/
- Reducing worry and subjective health complaints: A randomized trial of an internet-delivered worry postponement intervention. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26511764/
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