In today’s busy world, many people are turning to mindfulness and meditation as powerful tools to support their mental health and wellbeing. These practices help individuals stay present, reduce stress, and build emotional resilience.
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment with openness and without judgment. It involves noticing your thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations as they arise, and accepting them without trying to change or suppress them.
Meditation is one way to practise mindfulness, but mindfulness can also be incorporated into everyday activities—like walking, eating, or even washing dishes.
Mental Health Benefits
Regular mindfulness and meditation practice has been shown to:
- Reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression
- Improve sleep quality
- Enhance focus and clarity
- Promote emotional balance
- Increase resilience to stress
Tips for Starting Your Practice
- Begin with just 5–10 minutes a day.
- Use guided meditations from apps or websites.
You can also access a range of mindfulness and meditation videos free through YouTube - Try mindful breathing or body scan exercises.
- Be patient—mindfulness is a skill that improves with practice.
A Quick mindfulness activity you can do at work
Step 1: Getting Grounded
Take a moment and begin by grounding yourself. The point is to feel alert and aware of your body. As you sit in the chair, notice your buttocks pressing against the chair. Feel your back on the chair. Plant your feet on the floor, wiggle your toes. Put your hands on your thighs. Notice how strong you feel. Try this standing up. Move your feet about shoulder width. Wiggle your toes. Feel yourself solid on the floor or ground. Now pay attention to the world immediately around you. Things look a bit different when you are coming from a place of strength and connection, don’t they?
Step 2: Getting Centred
Now you have grounded yourself close your eyes. Bring your attention to your breath. You may notice it in your belly as it moves with each breath. Or you may notice it in your chest as you breathe. Or you may notice it at your nostrils as you feel the air move in and out. Just follow your breath. Don’t try to make it change. Just simply watch the way it is.
During this time of attending to your breath, you may notice thoughts of all sorts running through your mind. In particular you may notice thoughts saying, “this is silly” or “I can’t do this”. You may find your thoughts wandering to a task you need to do or what you are having for dinner. These kinds of thoughts are natural; the trick is to not get distracted by them. Just acknowledge them, let them be and bring your attention back to your breath. These thoughts will move on. Sit like this for a minute. Now try this with your eyes open. You will notice that you will likely find this is more difficult as there are more visual stimuli to distract us. But do the same. Focus on your breathing. Try this for about one minute.
Remember
Mindfulness and meditation are accessible, low-cost ways to support your mental health. Whether you’re looking to reduce stress, sleep better, or simply feel more grounded, these practices can make a meaningful difference.
