Micro-Mindfulness Practices for Busy Days

Photo: Lesly Juarez / Unsplash

Mindfulness has become a wildly popular buzzword in both the personal and professional realms over the past several years, particularly with a bright spotlight now being shone on the subject of mental health. Yet, even with the pace of our world so dramatically changed by the events of 2020 and 2021, time for a dedicated mindfulness practice can still seem like a resource that is in short supply. If you’ve ever found yourself curious about the concept, but either unsure of where to start, or with seemingly no space in your schedule to do so, here are four ways to incorporate mindfulness into even the busiest day. 

Mini Meditation

One of the wonderful things about the age in which we live is that there is no shortage of options when it comes to digital mindfulness resources. Apps like Insight Timer, Calm, and Headspace all offer massive libraries of guided practices, ranging in length from one minute to well over an hour. While this may prove a bit daunting if you’re someone who is prone to analysis paralysis, the upside is that this also means there is truly something for everyone. It may take a bit of research to find your perfect mindfulness match, but a go-to five-minute (or less) guided practice can be an indispensable resource on those days that you just need to take a beat before diving into the next task.

Of course, this does not mean that it’s absolutely necessary to utilize guided meditations. If you prefer a self-guided experience, or just enjoy the sound of complete silence, then simply setting a timer on your phone or watch might be the way to go. 

Minute to Arrive

This is, admittedly, a bit of a shameless promotion for a practice widely shared by SAP Global Mindfulness - but that’s because it is simple, effective, and easy to integrate into each and every Zoom meeting - even if they are booked back-to-back. Put simply, the Minute to Arrive exercise challenges you (and your team) to start meetings with 60 uninterrupted seconds of mindful focus. During this time, allow any distractions (to-do lists, dinner plans, mental preparation for other meetings) to fade into the background, so that everyone can be fully present and engaged in the discussion at hand. With so many of us hopping from one virtual meeting to the next in marathon fashion, the Minute to Arrive can be an immensely valuable tool - even if it is something you only implement for yourself.

Photo: Nathan Riley / Unsplash

Mindful Movement

Do you have time for regular movement built into your calendar? (No judgement if not!). How about the occasional 5 minutes where you can step outside and walk around your block, building, or neighborhood? If that sounds manageable, then you have created a prime opportunity to engage in mindful movement. For many people, “mindfulness” is associated with sitting cross-legged in perfect stillness for hours on end. The demands of a typical day, however, can make even ten minutes of true stillness feel like a tremendously lofty goal. 

If this sounds familiar, consider trying out a moving meditation. While walking, intentionally notice things like the rhythm of your steps, the sound your feet make as they contact the surface below you, the temperature of the air around you, and any sounds or smells in your surroundings. Most importantly, see if you can do so without following any thoughts that might pop up along the way. This same concept can be applied to practicing yoga, riding a bike, rock climbing, dancing, or any other activities that put your body in motion. As an added bonus, mindful movement can be a wonderful alternative to the “still and silent” variety of meditation, particularly for folks who are neurodiverse or have difficulty staying focused while remaining motionless.

Creative Pursuits

Have you ever started work on a creative project, only to look up ten minutes later and blink bewilderedly at the clock’s announcement that three hours have passed? Congratulations, you were engaging in mindfulness! Just as some people find that physical movement is their key to mindful presence, others may be surprised to discover that tapping into their creativity is what pulls them completely into the present moment. 

Connect with a sense of play and try out a new creative endeavour, or revisit something that you may have set aside months or even years prior. Drawing, painting, knitting or crochet, woodwork, beadwork, creative writing, journaling, and playing an instrument are just a few great examples of activities that can be made mindful, but of course there are countless more possibilities.

Photo: Roman Kraft / Unsplash

The bottom line? Your mindfulness practice is exactly that - your own. 

You get to determine what works best for you. There is no minimum length, prescribed posture, or required activity for your practice to be considered valid, and taking just a few mindful moments each day can produce tremendous, multi-faceted benefits in both the short and long term.