The American Psychological Association describes the term mindfulness as the awareness of one’s internal states and surroundings. In simpler terms, mindfulness means being more aware of what's happening within and around you. Although the concept seems like an easy practice, yet most people are unable to follow it properly. But why so?
It's because mindfulness goes beyond just being aware of where you are currently, or the date or even your to do list. It involves being actively more aware of your own thoughts and feelings along with being more present in the here and now. The modern lifestyle rarely allows us to do so as we are constantly bombarded with a lot of information at the same time though various sources without even realizing it.
To practice mindfulness, there are simple exercises available to suit every individuals' needs. If you enjoy nature you can go out for a walking meditation where you simply walk and focus on things all around you rather than plugging in your headphones. You may opt for making a gratitude list to add a few items and reflect on your day. For children, these activities can be made playful by adding a creative element such as asking your child to tell what they're feeling right now and blow a bubble for that thought. For more engaging work, puzzles can become a great tool and so forth.
The question may arise that is there any actual benefits from doing such simple things in daily life? Yes! there is and there are numerous studies to back this up.
This tool gained a lot of attention during the pandemic when the significance of mental health came into the limelight. A group of researchers investigated the influence of mindfulness training on mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak in China. Factors such as pandemic-related distress, depression, anxiety, and stress were assessed among mindfulness practitioners and in non-practitioners. The results showed that mindfulness practitioners reported significantly lower symptoms of anxiety and depression than non-practitioners.
Another study examined the use of mindfulness practices in the workplace and their impact on employees and organizations. Reviewing 28 studies, they found that mindfulness-based training enhances mental health, well-being, and performance across individual, job/work, group/team, and organizational levels. However, despite these benefits, few organizations have implemented mindfulness programs. The meta-analysis suggests the effectiveness of mindfulness in all settings.
These benefits can also be reaped through digital platforms now. A group of researchers developed a virtual mindfulness program catering to autistic adults. Results from the implementation of this model indicated a strong demand for the course, successful adaptations, and high acceptability among participants. They reported reduced distress, increased mindfulness, and greater self-compassion.
Hence, it is safe to say that mindfulness can definitely become a part of your routine and also improve your physical and mental well-being.
References
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). APA Dictionary of Psychology. American Psychological Association. https://dictionary.apa.org/
Hoshaw, C. (2022, June 22). 32 Mindfulness Activities to Find Calm at Any Age. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/mind-body/mindfulness-activities#for-teens
Johnson, K.R., Park, S. and Chaudhuri, S. (2020), "Mindfulness training in the workplace: exploring its scope and outcomes", European Journal of Training and Development, Vol. 44 No. 4/5, pp. 341-354. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJTD-09-2019-0156
Lunsky, Y., Redquest, B., Albaum, C. et al. (2022). Virtual Group–Based Mindfulness Intervention for Autistic Adults: a Feasibility Study. Mindfulness 13, 1706–1718 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-022-01909-4
Zhu, J.L., Schülke, R., Vatansever, D. et al. Mindfulness practice for protecting mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Transl Psychiatry 11, 329 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-021-01459-8
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