8 Tips To Improve your Mindfulness
We all know that yoga is great for finding a sense of inner peace – but if you’re not doing what you can in other areas of your life to be more mindful, yoga will just become a quick fix, rather than a route to a more sustained, healthier mindset. In this blog, we look at eight ways to help you improve your mindfulness; from just slowing down, to taking the time out to meditate.
1) Just…slow…down
It’s 2021 and we’re used to doing things at a million miles an hour; whether it’s rushing in from work and heading straight out with the dog or checking emails while doing the weekly shop. But just by giving your mind a little bit of me-time (have that cup of tea when you get in), you can give your mind a chance to refocus, making that dog walk far more beneficial to your overall wellbeing.
2) Leave work at work and your phone in another room
It’s super-easy to reach for your phone as soon as you hear it buzz. We’re all guilty of being on the verge of sleep, but reaching over anyway to see it’s only a junk email from something you signed up to three years ago. By leaving your phone in another room – and doing it half an hour or so before bed – you can really make the most out of your sleep and relaxation time.
3) Eat Mindfully
We’re very much used to the grab-and-go culture – a quick sandwich here, a pastry there. But actually taking the time to make a nutritious meal where you eat slowly enough to taste the ingredients you’ve put in, does work wonders for the mindset. Enjoy your meals, use it as a time to relax and replenish – you deserve it.
4) Meditate
You may meditate each time you practice yoga, but even if you take 10 minutes before bedtime – just to sit quietly and contemplate – you’ll find you’ll be able to process your thoughts in a much calmer way. And if you’re feeling stressed at points throughout the day, taking just five minutes to clear your mind will help you to refocus and increase your productivity in the long run.
5) Remember to move
We don’t realise how tense we get, especially in stressful situations – like at work. Remembering to move will untense your muscles and help you to relax. If you’ve been sat at your desk for a few hours, go make yourself a drink – just for the walk to the kitchen. Or why not go for a walk at lunchtime? It’s easy to work through lunch, but a walk to reset will make for a productive afternoon.
6) Take in what’s around you
It’s easy to get tunnel vision – to be so focussed on one thing that you forget to take in what’s around you. Take time to get out and about in nature – listen to the leaves in the park, watch the squirrels skuttle around. Harmonising with nature can help you to an find inner peace – to feel part of the world – rather than immersed in your own hectic life.
7) Focus on one thing at a time
Focussing on one thing – but not over focussing – is a good way to cipher out what’s not important. A jumble of thoughts or a medley of tasks will take a long time to sort or complete – but by processing just one thing at a time, you can tidy that thought away or complete that activity, so you have more room to focus on the next one.
8) Improve your mindfulness with YoYoga
Yoga is a great way to relax and replenish the spirit, and YoYoga’s mats are designed to be in tune with your individual energy – your chakra – so you can really benefit from every session. Yoga, combined with the mindfulness tips we covered in this blog, will help you to improve your sense of wellbeing, so life can start feeling like a gentle breeze, rather than a whirlwind.
