So I was running around like a headless chicken this morning, which is normal for me for the mornings. There’s so much to do: get out of bed!, get dressed, get the little one up, set out her clothes, do us some brekkie, packed lunches, try and remember what I’m supposed to be doing on any particular day…
You get the picture. Just like everyone else, I have a busy schedule. But this morning I was trying to remember lots of other things too. I had an idea for an article that I wanted to write down before I forgot it, I needed to get some fish out of the freezer as I’m making fish pie for supper tonight, I needed to take a letter with me on the school run to post, and I must remember to organise my daughter’s blood test at some point today (she’s a coeliac and needs annual blood tests).
As a creative person I always feel like I have a hundred tabs open in my brain, and this morning there was one too many. I forgot what my article idea was about literally seconds after thinking of it, the fish is only just out of the freezer because I only remembered as I wrote the above paragraph, I forgot the letter, and I haven’t yet rung the hospital.
My brain has the Spinning Wheel of doom but I don’t have an off switch to reboot it.
There are all sorts of helpful phrases bandied about; you can’t pour from an empty cup, look after yourself before others. But it’s hard to keep a hold of your cup, let alone pouring from an empty one. Sometimes, though, it’s more than a necessity.
So here are a few very simple mindfulness meditation techniques that can be done in under a minute. They’re not a reboot switch but it’s the next best thing.
Mindful Breathing
- Ideally lie down, but this can be done sitting.
- Find a comfortable relaxed position; your mouth relaxed, tongue resting on the roof of your mouth, jaw relaxed with teeth apart; hands relaxed and fingers in a neutral position; shoulders relaxed.
- Tune into your breathing. Focus on its natural rhythm. In and out. In and out. Don’t force it.
- If you find your mind wandering away from your breath, gently coax it back.
- After a minute you should find your mind quieter and more able to focus.
Mindful Observation
- Bring yourself back to the present moment by observing; noticing what is around you rather than thinking about it.
- Pick an object in your vicinity and focus on watching it.
- Just watch it, try not to think about it. Focus instead on the formation of the object rather than its use.
- Let your mind empty of everything other than watching the object and noticing its beauty.
Mindful Listening
- Close your eyes and filter the noises around you.
- Try to concentrate on one noise in particular; be it the cars outside, the whirring of the boiler, the bird song.
- Listen to the noise without thinking about it.
- Breath while listening, you’d be surprised how many people hold their breath when listening hard.
- Spend the minute with no other distractions than the noise you have selected to listen to.
Mindful Appreciation
- Pick one thing from your day that largely goes unappreciated; it could be the ink in your pen, the water in your taps, or your clothes for keeping you warm.
- Acknowledge the ‘thing’ and give it the appreciation it deserves.
- You can do this in your head if you feel daft thanking inanimate objects out loud.
- Appreciating seemingly insignificant things in your life will help focus your attention away from the bigger and brighter things that we all seem to be hankering after and allow us to see how fortunate we are.
Mindful Stretch
- Yawn and stretch for at least ten seconds every hour to bring yourself back from whatever you are doing.
- Do a fake yawn if you need to, as this often triggers a real one. It will help you focus on your breathing and trigger deeper breaths if needed.
- A yawn will interrupt any thoughts or feelings you may be experiencing bringing you back to the present.
- Stretch really slowly for at least twenty seconds, noticing any tightness. Say hello to the tight spots, and notice where they are.
- Spend the last twenty seconds noticing your breathing and body before getting back to what you were doing
These techniques can be practised nearly anywhere, and even just one or two when they’re needed most can make a huge impact on our wellbeing.