We run around and do it all over again everyday. If we have free time we opt to look to scroll through our phone, check our emails…maybe go on instagram.

What you may not realize is these actions like going for your phone every time you have a minute robs you of mindfulness and its benefits and may cause you to become more anxious or feel less rested and may end up making you less productive in the long run.

What does it mean to be mindful?

Basically it means to be aware…aware of yourself, your surroundings and others and it actually has very similar benefits to meditating without actually taking time out of your day.

What do mindful people do?

For one, when they have a moment they don’t automatically reach for their phone.  Instead, they look around, take in their surroundings, take in what they feel, and just become aware. Doing this helps bring about the mentality of enjoying the moment helping time seem to slow down and give you a moment to just be there.

They also practice mindful eating. Instead of watching television, reading or going through their email while they eat, they enjoy their food. To do this, you can become more aware of your chewing and how fast you may be eating. Are you scarfing down your food? Will what you’re eating help you or hurt you? How do you feel after you eat this meal? By doing this, you can help yourself change your eating habits and maybe eat a bit less or eat a bit more of certain foods. It’s focusing on you, your need , and how you feel after eating that food.

Mindful people also practice mindful driving. This means you turn off the radio, put away your phone and just focus on what’s ahead of you and just focus on driving. If you tend to bump or scratch your car a lot, this may help avoid those situations. Don’t try to multitask in your car. Just focus on driving in peace. This helps you mentally and when it comes to your safety and that of those around you.  You don’t always have to do this. Some moments call for phone calls in the car or jamming to the radio but notice how you drive when you’re doing this in the car and when you’re just focusing on driving. Do you drive better? Do you feel less stressed? Become aware of how you feel after your drive.

Mindful people also practice mindful listening. This means you give you’re full undivided attention to someone who is talking. Don’t let your mind wander to what you need to do or how you will respond. Just listen to that person. Look at the in the eyes and once they finish talking, give yourself a second to thing about your response. This will help the other person feel like they are a priority for you, help you be a better listener and maybe help you catch things you wouldn’t have caught before. This is not only a practice in mindfulness but also in manners.

They’re small actions mindful people do to help them become better and more focused. You can opt for working on all of these or just focusing on one. Either way, you may want to think twice before reaching for your phone at every free second. Enjoy the moment because you won’t live it again.