Many of us, professionals, and regular people alike, feel our lives are overly hectic, filled with work commitments and deadlines, juggling family, and emotionally overwhelmed. We are looking for ways to restore balance. During these last weeks, I have read multiple posts of people expressing feeling exhausted, drained, burnt-out, and over-committed, and all planning to have a much better year ahead. However, life continues, and despite our efforts, if we don’t adopt a new way of living, we will find ourselves in the same cycle again.
Slow living is a lifestyle movement that proposes simple living, focusing on the essentials and doing what truly matters. My philosophy is embedding ourselves into a mindful living style, where we experience practising being more in the present moment.
Mindful Living is about being in the moment and appreciating what we have right now. It is about connecting with us and those around us on a deeper level —conscious of our thoughts, feelings, actions, and emotions as they occur. By slowing down our pace, we can become more aware of these things and pull back from the hustle and bustle of life to appreciate better the now, which is our only truth.
How can we step into mindful living within a hectic world, starting with minor changes, such as:
- Establishing routines: This can be done by setting aside time each day for activities like meditation, art, journaling, yoga, quiet time, and reading, which will help you stay focused on your goals and intentions for the day. This will also help you create a structure to feel free and relaxed throughout your week. Additionally, an established routine will help keep you accountable so that it becomes easier to stay focused on what matters most. Remember, you are the most important person to look after because if you become unwell, everything you hold falls, so investing in you helps others.
- Focusing on one task at a time: Instead of multitasking or trying to do too many things simultaneously. This will allow you to be present in whatever activity you’re doing rather than rushing through it so that you can move on to the next one. Focusing on one thing at a time allows us to immerse ourselves in that experience instead of skimming over it quickly to move on to the next. This helps us connect more deeply with whatever we’re doing, leading us to experience life mindfully aware.
- Reconnect with nature: One of the best things you can do to restore balance in your life is to connect with nature. Taking a walk outdoors, sitting in your garden, watching birds, having a picnic, walking near water, or going to a park while it provides us with physical activity, which has its benefits; it also helps us get away from the busyness of everyday life so we can clear our minds and focus on what truly matters. Plus, taking time away from busy schedules allows us to appreciate the beauty around us that often goes unnoticed while rushing through everyday tasks.
- Practise gratitude: Being thankful for what we have instead of focusing on what we don’t have, helps us see our lives from a different perspective and allows us to appreciate the good things rather than focus on our flaws or shortcomings. Practising gratitude is also a great way to build relationships with people, as it encourages us to appreciate them more and recognise their worth in our lives.
- Embracing simplicity: This is vital when learning how to live mindfully. By simplifying our lives and cutting out unnecessary distractions such as technology or clutter, we can focus more on being present in the moment rather than worrying about the future or dwelling on the past. Additionally, taking time away from technology can help reduce stress levels, increasing our overall well-being and happiness.
Living mindfully isn’t easy today, but it doesn’t need to be impossible, either. With some intentionality and effort, we can slow down our lives enough to connect more deeply with ourselves and others while still ensuring that essential tasks don’t get neglected. By incorporating daily self-care activities into our routines along with focusing on one task at a time, ensuring we have a routine, we are reminded to be grateful, and we guarantee to live more fully in the present moment, we opt gradually to change our lifestyle and move into a culture of Mindful Living.
