USING MINDFULNESS TO COPE WITH STRESS

There has yet to come a day where I have experienced no stress. That is a fairy tale day. Stress is an unavoidable part of life and generally it can be more stressful to attempt to avoid feeling stress.

The work week always presents new challenges to overcome, deadlines to meet, clients to prepare for, and an endless array of meetings that never seem to end. When you are caught up in the hustle and bustle of your daily routine, your mind is running a mile a minute with thoughts, ideas, and emotions. The more stressful the day is, the more likely it is that your emotions of anxiety, irritation, frustration, and sometimes even despair are heightened and make you more likely to snap or act impulsively. For most people trying to find a moment to practice mindfulness seems like an absurd luxury, and maybe even a waste of time. After all that few minutes you are engaged in a mindfulness practice could be precious time that you are using to return an important phone call. However, studies have shown time and time again that individuals who engage in mindfulness exercises are more productive then those who do not.

Mindfulness practices can help you to refocus your attention and to decrease the intensity of the negative emotions that build up through the day, thus in turn allowing you to focus on the task at hand and you don’t feel as emotionally and physically drained. Even simply developing an awareness of how stress, anxious, or tired we are is an act of mindfulness and can help us to adjust our routine accordingly so we don’t burn out. When we do reach that high threshold of stress it can sometimes be difficult to recognize what we can do in that moment, so it can be beneficial to have a “mindfulness toolkit” prepared so that you don’t feel additional pressure in trying to think of ways to engage in a mindfulness practice. To help you get started on your mindfulness tool kit I have listed 3 quick and simple mindfulness exercises that you can use at any time and place.

1. Mindfulness using the 5 senses

You can practice this exercise anywhere and anytime, and it is a great grounding exercise when you feel yourself getting caught up in your emotions. Start by sitting in a comfortable position, taking a few deep breaths and settling into your chair. This exercise requires you to use your five sense to notice your surroundings. Your going to start with your eyes, and look around the room, naming five different objects you can see in the room. It can help to describe what the object looks like (shape, texture, color and so on). Next you are going to notice four things you can feel with your hands or body (e.g. feeling the weight of your sweater on your shoulders, the softness of the cushion of the chair). Now you are going to identify three things you can hear, it can help to close your eyes for this one and focus in on your sense of hearing. Next you will observes two things you can smell and finally, you will end with one thing that you can taste.

2. Appreciation and Gratitude

Something that can be helpful in engaging your mindfulness skills is developing an appreciation for the present moment. Bring into focus the idea that no matter how hectic, chaotic, or busy your life may be there are things in the your life that you are grateful for. You can use your fingers and count down 5 things that you appreciate and are grateful for in this moment. It can be anything from your friends and family, to your pets, and even the weather. One thing we often forget to appreciate is our physical body and how it equips us to get through the day.

3. Grounding

Grounding exercises are great ways to get in touch with your current mental, emotional, and physical state. Grounding exercises can take on many forms. From sitting in your chair, focusing on the physical sensation of the chair supporting your body to walking and paying attention to the sensation of your feet as it meets the ground and the wind stroking your face. The key is to direct your focus to a physical sensations to help anchor yourself to the moment.

My challenge to you is to try and practice just one of these exercises once a day for a week. Now, I’m not saying that by practicing mindfulness, all your stress is just going to miraculously disappear. However, you may find that your own capacity to work through and deal with these problems may become stronger, and you are no longer left feeling burnt-out and overwhelmed. Rather you feel capable of being able to take on the days challenges.