21 Mindfulness Tips to Try Today

It’s the end of a long and tiring day, you walk through the door to find toys everywhere or the washing up you left from the night before. Rolling your eyes, you realise you won’t be sitting down for a while and promise you’ll book yourself a holiday (that you may or may not actually get around to doing). Sound familiar?

I know how you feel. Life these days is in the fast lane or no lane, and you can really feel yourself struggling at the last turn. That was me a couple of years ago. At least, it was me until I discovered mindfulness.

Now, I find myself enjoying my days with less stress, more productivity, and a whole new level of patience with everything from my son to road rage. Not only that, mindfulness is completely free and we can all enjoy the benefits it has to offer.

That’s why I’m sharing with you 21 mindfulness tips that you can start practicing today to reap the rewards in your daily life. Let’s take a look:

1. Wake up and mindfully complete your morning routine. (Create an easy morning routine if you don’t already have one.) Make the bed, eat your breakfast, drink your coffee, and shower whilst simply enjoying that particular task. (No multitasking or technology allowed.) Remember to use your senses for everything. Be it smell, touch, taste, listen, or see.

2. Spend time reading a good book. It can be fiction or non-fiction. Either way, just simply relax and enjoy.

3. Spend a few minutes stretching before you head out for the day. There is something very satisfying about stretching, and it also wakes the body up gently to be ready for the day or evening ahead.

4. Spend time in nature, go for a walk, or simply sit and have a coffee in the garden. Nature is known to heal the mind and body.

5. Be curious and look at things like you are seeing them for the first time. Imagine you are a toddler with all the curiosity out there.

6. Do something crafty. (Colour, make or write something, etc.)

7. Set a positive and mindful intention for the day ahead. (e.g. “I will see the positive in every situation today.”)

8. Drink eight glasses of water today. This is a no brainer and has so many great health benefits.

9. Close your eyes and just listen to your surroundings. What can you hear?

10. Listen to your favourite piece of music. It’s a great mood booster.

11. Think about a loved one and send them loving vibes.

12. Sing out loud like nobody is listening. It's great for relieving unwanted stress and tension.

13. Start your day with gratitude and write down three things that you are grateful for.

14. Try a breathing technique: Sit comfortably with your back straight, breathe in for the count of six, hold the breath for a count of four, then slowly release the breath to the count of six. Repeat a few times or until feeling calm and relaxed.

15. Set aside 30 minutes of "me time."

16. List five things that you love about yourself.

17. Put thoughtful notes and positive quotes up around the house or office to give you a boost whenever you see them.

18. Spend a couple of minutes focusing on an object. Notice its shape, colour, texture, scent, etc.

19. Be aware of your emotions, then take a breath before reacting.

20. Treat yourself like you would a good friend.

21. Massage some hand or foot cream in before bed.

Spending time being mindful throughout the day can be a wonderful tool to aid your health and well-being. Just like you create time for the gym, try to create some time for mindful activities, too.

I hope that you enjoy trying a few of the above tips and activities, and that you can breathe some mindfulness into your day.