How to Make Housework Your Meditation

Making housework your meditation is the act of maintaing awareness of the present moment without your mind jumping from one thing to the next. This can be difficult as your concentration can be pulled in different directions very quickly. Thoughts of the past or the future will keeping coming up. Mindfulness is gently calling yourself back to the present.

Mindfulness can reduce stress, boost the immune system, increase empathy and improve memory and attention, among other benefits.

- Mindful Meditation While Doing Your Housework

Use the tasks you already perform as a type of informal meditation if you haven't been able to find the time to practice mindfulness. Don't rush your chores to get them out of the way. Take your time and only concentrate on the task at hand. One at a time.

These chores can help you to practice appreciating the present moment:

- Wiping down the bench top or stove

You regularly wipe down your kitchen. Set your intention to create a clean, clear space. Bring your attention to the present. Watch how your stove transforms from dirty to clean. See the transformation from a dirty bench top to a clean one. Bring your attention to the present.

Stand back and look how good your kitchen looks and amazing it makes you feel.

- While making your bed

Enjoy the process of making your bed as soon as you get up. You will have more time to fit in a workout, enjoy your coffee and feel good know that whatever else happens during the day, you have spent time staying in the present moment. Don't rush making your bed. Enjoy the colours and the textures of your sheets and doona. Listen to the sounds around you. Enjoy the pleasure of doing the job.

- Washing the dishes

If while washing the dishes, we think only of the cup of tea that awaits us, hurrying us to get the dishes out of the way, then we are not washing the dishes to wash the dishes. While drinking the cup of tea, we will only be thinking of other things. Wash the dishes to was wash the dishes. During your tea to drink your tea.

- Sweeping, mopping and dusting

Enjoy the silence of sweeping. Sweeping, mopping and dusting take longer to do, so enjoy your longer periords of calm awareness. Choose Eco products that you love the smell of. Lavender or lemon.

- Loving your plants

Go into the backyard and handwater your garden if you are feeling upset. Your plants will love your attention. Mindfulness with plants can also be done indoors. Tend to them and water them with love.

- Hanging out the washing

Notice the breeze ruffling your clothes. Smell the freshness of your laundry detergent. Listen to the sound the pegs make as you clip your clothes to the line.

- Folding the laundry

Sit somewhere comfortable to fold your laundry. Feel the satisfaction of turning the tangle clothes into a neat pile. This is one of the best chores for meditating and mindfulness. Smell the scent and feel the texture of the fresh linen.

Mindful Cleaning Steps

- Relax any tension in your body before you begin.

- When you lose concentration, simply notice the thoughts arising and return your attention to the task.

- Pay attention to the feeling of warm, soapy water, the texture of the benchtop, the sounds coming in from outside, the smells around you.

- Play your favourite tunes while cleaning.

- Relax and enjoy every moment.

When you have completed your tasks, sit down and relax. Notice the feeling of content and forgetting the world around you, your to-do-list and anything that is bothering you. Feel proud of what you have achieved.