(DailySpry.com) Almost everyone has gone through some stress in their lives whether it be because of workload, marital issues, or financial crisis. Sometimes this stress becomes so much that it interferes with your daily work and you have to take lots of medicines to carry on with your work.
Luckily there are some quick and easy tips to include in your life that will reduce your stress and keep you focused. Even if you are not feeling that much stress, you must still incorporate these healthy habits in your life and will see positive impacts on your life.
We mostly stress because we don’t stay in the present moment. We either overthink our past or worry too much about our future which makes us stressed. Mindfulness is a practice that teaches you to stay in the present moment and enjoy it fully.
Practicing mindfulness in our simple daily tasks can improve our focus and overall strengthen our wellness by reducing stress in our lives.
According to a 2021 study published in the Journal of Frontiers in Psychology, a 6-week mindfulness program helped the participants with stress reduction and improved their work engagement.
You need to practice mindfulness in your simple daily tasks and you will see its benefits on a large scale.
Here are some quick mindfulness exercises which you can do to reduce stress and stay focused.
Hiking
Disconnect from technology, and feel nature through all your senses while hiking.
Focus on how you are moving steps, how your breath is working, the sounds around such as that of leaves crunching under your feet or the birds chirping, the smells even of the soil and the plants, and the sights.
Nature is powerful enough to relax you, you just need to focus.
Swimming or Floating
When you are in the water, you are disconnected from the world and that is what you need. You now can focus more on your internal self.
Your entire body is moving. Stress is released from each part of your body with these movements. Relax, just feel the water, feel your breath, feel oxygen flowing into your muscles, feel the rhythm.
Walking
This is not just some random walking but meditative walking in which you remove as many distractions as you can, focus more, and keep your breath relaxed. When you move slowly and breathe slowly with focus, your mind also does the same.
With meditative walking, you are not having stress to drive forward as your pace is normal. Your shoulders are calm because of deep, fuller breaths. You are just relying on your stabilizing muscles to stay upright. This even helps you with reducing body pain in the long run and maintains your balance.
You can do meditative walking in nature such as on the beach, or simply in your living room or hallway.
Taking a Cup of Tea
From preparing to sipping, focus on the whole process. The fresh aroma of tea leaves, the way you hold your cup, the way you bring it to your lips, and the warmth you feel, everything deserves to be noticed and appreciated.
Stretching
Do some gentle stretches but without forcing your muscles to bend and move. Expand your body from within and let the breath flow in.
Simply sit straight, move your head to one side, and feel your breath moving into any tight areas of the neck.
Do it in the morning and you are all set for the whole day.
Gazing
Yes, simply look at some object such as the moon, or candlelight but this time with your complete focus.
When you control yourself to look anywhere else, your mindfulness improves and you enter a more calm and balanced state of mind.
Breathing
Focus on your breath. Feel how you fill your abdomen, then ribs, and then chest. Imagine a wave moving through your body in rhythm.
When you do so, your breath becomes more deep and full. This stimulates your parasympathetic nervous system which gives your body the signal for relaxation.
With exhaling, I think all stress and negativism is going out, with inhaling all positivity coming in.
Guided Meditation
You can do Yoga Nidra. It relaxes your body while keeping it alert. This technique trains your mind for meditation and gives you a chance for internal healing and releasing your stress.
Conclusion
Mindfulness is not any rocket science but you can master it by practicing it with any of your regular activities. Just increase your focus on your favorite activities and it will help in improving your overall health and wellbeing.
Slowing down makes you more present in the current moment and stops the complex thoughts that are always overpowering you. If you feel distracted, bring your focus back calmly.
Some of the quick mindfulness exercises in your daily life to reduce stress and stay focused include guided meditation, swimming, breathing techniques, meditative gazing and walking, stretching, hiking, and taking a cup of tea.
