Mindful Living Made Easy
Slowing down and getting more enjoyment out of everyday life starts where the heart is – at home
If there never seems to be enough hours in the day and you’re tired before you’ve even finished breakfast, it’s time to reduce your stress levels and bring about some peace of mind. Your own house is the perfect place to start. As I’ve discovered in my quest for a less harried, more contended life, the first step is thinking about what truly makes you happy, and then making the choice to find pleasure in everyday activities you might once have thought of as chores. Try the following suggestions and you’ll soon be shifting from mindlessness to mindfulness and reaping the joy-filled rewards.
Indulge in a little slow cooking
Do you relish the art of cooking or do you see it as something you have to do to get food on the table? Just as you can find joy in chores around the house if you decide to, cooking can become a gift for the senses if you let it, too. What could be more delicious than a house filled with the aroma of bread just out of the oven and a hearty, slow-cooked soup full of nourishing goodness? It’s all a matter of how you look at it.
Do you relish the art of cooking or do you see it as something you have to do to get food on the table? Just as you can find joy in chores around the house if you decide to, cooking can become a gift for the senses if you let it, too. What could be more delicious than a house filled with the aroma of bread just out of the oven and a hearty, slow-cooked soup full of nourishing goodness? It’s all a matter of how you look at it.
Talk about where you’re at
What do you say when someone asks how you are? The standard reply is “good, thanks”, but do you really mean it, and does the person asking really want to know?
It’s too easy to get caught up in what you’re doing in life rather than how you’re feeling. Make it a new habit to talk regularly to the people closest to you about how you’re really doing and tune in to how they really are in return. Self-awareness is the key to figuring out what’s really going on when we feel angry or anxious, and it’s then much easier to do something about it. A gadget-free hour or two of an evening with your partner even once a week could be one habit you won’t want to break, especially if you enjoy a glass of wine as part of the ritual and your living room is an inviting place to be. If it isn’t, why not spruce it up a bit with some new cushions or thriving pot plants? Even rearranging the furniture can breathe new life into a room.
More: 5 Easy Steps to a Lovelier Living Room
What do you say when someone asks how you are? The standard reply is “good, thanks”, but do you really mean it, and does the person asking really want to know?
It’s too easy to get caught up in what you’re doing in life rather than how you’re feeling. Make it a new habit to talk regularly to the people closest to you about how you’re really doing and tune in to how they really are in return. Self-awareness is the key to figuring out what’s really going on when we feel angry or anxious, and it’s then much easier to do something about it. A gadget-free hour or two of an evening with your partner even once a week could be one habit you won’t want to break, especially if you enjoy a glass of wine as part of the ritual and your living room is an inviting place to be. If it isn’t, why not spruce it up a bit with some new cushions or thriving pot plants? Even rearranging the furniture can breathe new life into a room.
More: 5 Easy Steps to a Lovelier Living Room
Watch more TV
If you have a tendency to take on too much and are finding life stressful, TV can be the one thing that lets you switch off and tune out without expending any energy. I’ve long struggled with this one because although watching movies or losing myself in a mindless sitcom means I can take a much-needed break from busyness, I grew up with the lesson that TV is a vacuous waste of time. Now, I’m taking a stand. Sometimes an hour or two of TV is the best medicine when life gets frantic and your mind is in overdrive. Guilt-free TV? Bring it on.
If you have a tendency to take on too much and are finding life stressful, TV can be the one thing that lets you switch off and tune out without expending any energy. I’ve long struggled with this one because although watching movies or losing myself in a mindless sitcom means I can take a much-needed break from busyness, I grew up with the lesson that TV is a vacuous waste of time. Now, I’m taking a stand. Sometimes an hour or two of TV is the best medicine when life gets frantic and your mind is in overdrive. Guilt-free TV? Bring it on.
Make the best use of your house
Got a spare room or a formal living area you don’t tend to use much? Forget about appearances and let your house be the haven it’s supposed to be by turning that little-used room into one that really counts. I’ve just turned our spare room into a dedicated room for yoga and meditation. It can still become a guest room when friends or family come to stay, but the rest of the time it’s a peaceful retreat with a feelgood purpose.
Think about what hobbies or activities bring you joy or solace, then rethink your house to see how it could better accommodate them.
More: 12 Indulgent Ways to Make Use of That Old Spare Room
Got a spare room or a formal living area you don’t tend to use much? Forget about appearances and let your house be the haven it’s supposed to be by turning that little-used room into one that really counts. I’ve just turned our spare room into a dedicated room for yoga and meditation. It can still become a guest room when friends or family come to stay, but the rest of the time it’s a peaceful retreat with a feelgood purpose.
Think about what hobbies or activities bring you joy or solace, then rethink your house to see how it could better accommodate them.
More: 12 Indulgent Ways to Make Use of That Old Spare Room
Take on a happiness project at home
It can be immensely satisfying when you make something with your hands, whether it’s creating an artwork for the house, knitting a blanket (how gorgeous is this one draped over the bed?), or redecorating a room. Find a project that helps you focus on the now rather than the past or future and you’ll be giving your brain the break it deserves. When you’re fully absorbed in a task to the point that the rest of the world melts away, that’s when you know you’re doing something you love and are reaping the benefits of living in the present.
It can be immensely satisfying when you make something with your hands, whether it’s creating an artwork for the house, knitting a blanket (how gorgeous is this one draped over the bed?), or redecorating a room. Find a project that helps you focus on the now rather than the past or future and you’ll be giving your brain the break it deserves. When you’re fully absorbed in a task to the point that the rest of the world melts away, that’s when you know you’re doing something you love and are reaping the benefits of living in the present.
Make time to do nothing
Between work demands, always-on technology, and the expectation society places on us in the 21st century, it’s little wonder that depression, anxiety and just plain exhaustion are becoming so prevalent. Not taking a breather to recharge is like expecting your car to keep driving at full speed non-stop without topping up the petrol or giving it an oil change. The answer? Turn off your phone, head outdoors and simply sit. What can you hear when you really listen? What can you see, smell and feel? Mindfulness has been shown to be effective at lowering stress, improving focus and helping us regulate our emotions – all good things when it comes to navigating this fast-paced world.
Between work demands, always-on technology, and the expectation society places on us in the 21st century, it’s little wonder that depression, anxiety and just plain exhaustion are becoming so prevalent. Not taking a breather to recharge is like expecting your car to keep driving at full speed non-stop without topping up the petrol or giving it an oil change. The answer? Turn off your phone, head outdoors and simply sit. What can you hear when you really listen? What can you see, smell and feel? Mindfulness has been shown to be effective at lowering stress, improving focus and helping us regulate our emotions – all good things when it comes to navigating this fast-paced world.
Make your garden good for more than just eye candy
Does your garden take you on a journey or is it more of a backdrop to your outdoor eating area? A garden you can wander in can work wonders when it comes to calming the chatter in your mind and soothing your nervous system. If your garden’s on the small side, consider a pathway with raised smooth stones that can stimulate the reflexology points in your feet when you walk on it barefoot.
Does your garden take you on a journey or is it more of a backdrop to your outdoor eating area? A garden you can wander in can work wonders when it comes to calming the chatter in your mind and soothing your nervous system. If your garden’s on the small side, consider a pathway with raised smooth stones that can stimulate the reflexology points in your feet when you walk on it barefoot.
Meditate on an open fire
I know I said TV can be a good thing, but if watching it every evening has become the norm, it’s time to shake things up a bit. If you’re lucky enough to have a fireplace or wood-fired stove, settle in front of it in a comfortable armchair for a change of pace that’s less stimulating for your brain. The ever-shifting colours and shapes of the flames can be mesmerising enough that you may not need anything else for entertainment.
I know I said TV can be a good thing, but if watching it every evening has become the norm, it’s time to shake things up a bit. If you’re lucky enough to have a fireplace or wood-fired stove, settle in front of it in a comfortable armchair for a change of pace that’s less stimulating for your brain. The ever-shifting colours and shapes of the flames can be mesmerising enough that you may not need anything else for entertainment.
If you’re more of an indoors person, or it’s too cold out for comfort, find a sunny nook and flick through a magazine or cookbook where there’s a view of the sky or trees.
Admit that you love your work
It’s easy to focus on the negatives when it comes to work, but are there things you love about it? Acknowledging to yourself what the benefits are will make the less fabulous bits of your job fade into the background, and you just might feel a little less exhausted by your job as a result. If you’re a working parent, instead of apologising to your kids for having to work, let them know how rewarding you find it and you might just find they end up pursuing a satisfying career, too.
YOUR SAY
How do you try to live more mindfully? Share your ideas in the Comments.
MORE
Chill Out: 17 Ideas to Create More Relaxation Zones at Home
Slow Down: The (Lost) Art of Laziness
Get Your Feet Off the Ground and Into the Swing of Deep Relaxation
It’s easy to focus on the negatives when it comes to work, but are there things you love about it? Acknowledging to yourself what the benefits are will make the less fabulous bits of your job fade into the background, and you just might feel a little less exhausted by your job as a result. If you’re a working parent, instead of apologising to your kids for having to work, let them know how rewarding you find it and you might just find they end up pursuing a satisfying career, too.
YOUR SAY
How do you try to live more mindfully? Share your ideas in the Comments.
MORE
Chill Out: 17 Ideas to Create More Relaxation Zones at Home
Slow Down: The (Lost) Art of Laziness
Get Your Feet Off the Ground and Into the Swing of Deep Relaxation
In my quest to slow down and make life a little less crazy, I decided to stop rushing not just some of the time but all the time, even when I’m doing things like putting fresh sheets on the bed. When I focused on the fresh fragrance of sheets just off the line, the feeling of smoothing the sheets over the bed, and the visual pleasure of folding the doona back and arranging the cushions just so, instead of it being a chore I resented, making the bed became another opportunity for mindfulness that I have come to appreciate. And guess what? Making the bed with care didn’t take much longer than when I used to make it in a mad rush, and the bedroom somehow feels far more serene as a result.
What else could you do mindfully around the house? Wash the dishes, do the vacuuming, iron the clothes? Scoff if you will, but I’ve found just about anything can bring pleasure instead of pain if you decide that’s how you want it to be.