The Art of Mindfulness was introduced as one of the many concepts of early Buddhism that’s still put in practice today due to its effectivity to calm the mind. In this concept, one is taught how to be conscious and aware of what the body is currently doing. It involves sensations, feelings, emotions and functions. Mindfulness techniques can teach you how to stay focused on the “now” and simplify life as it is. In western psychology, these techniques are also applied to alleviate most mental and physical conditions.

The idea behind Mindfulness is being consciously present on what is happening to your body right now and be able to disconnect yourself from all bothering thoughts of the past, future and other tidbits hidden deep within your subconscious mind. These negative thoughts are considered as stress factors and should be eliminated when practicing mindfulness. It was believed that a clear, conscious mind can help you achieve goals better than having your stressors push you everytime. Also, mindfulness yields better results since a person is deemed productive when he is mindful. However, there are some techniques in mindfulness that contradict other productivity principles.

Before adapting mindfulness into your life, you must remember that it is a kind of meditation practiced by Buddhists for centuries now. It is meant to relax your mind and free yourself of stress. It is most recommended for seniors who cannot afford anymore stress in their lives and subjecting themselves into one can even be harmful for their health. Here are some basic mindfulness techniques you can do today:

·    Avoid automatic reactions. When we do everyday tasks, our bodies immediately recognize the task hence turns on an automatic reaction to finish the task. It involves every muscle fiber in our body directly following orders from an “auto-piloted” mind. Notice how you absent-mindedly do household chores and finish it without even thinking about it or do them while your mind is wandering off to the next task. Being mindful is focusing your mind on what you do now.
·    Avoid multi-tasking at all costs. It is impossible to be mindful if there’s a barrage of whatnots going through your head. Multi-tasking is never encouraged in mindfulness. It will only confuse the mind resulting to undesirable results.
·    Worrying about the future will do you no good. If you have prepared well for it, there’s no need to worry about what the future holds. Surrender everything to the higher beings and enjoy the present moment because if it passes, it won’t ever come back.
·    Your aging body has had enough of living the fast-paced life and slowing down will certainly make your soul happy. Don’t rush through tasks in attempt to do it all at once. Give your body a chance to relax and do things at its own comfortable pace.
·    Spend time with loved-ones. I mean, REALLY spend time with them by being consciously there, absorbing every minute of it. You’ll soon realize that there’s more fun in bonding with them and appreciating the beauty of it.
·    Give yourself a quiet, 5-minute “me” time. This way, you’ll be able to rest your whole being and just relax. In a way, you’re also preparing for the next task ahead.