Be mindful in your activities
Well-being 🌿 | Be mindful 🧘 | #Mindfulness #Time #Relax
TL;DR
Avoid engaging in activities "by default" or out of habit without being mindful.
Be aware of moments when activities lack value and bring no benefits.
Take intentional breaks and engage in activities with purpose, avoiding mindless behaviours that drive your schedule.
Seed
In our daily lives, we often find ourselves engaging in activities "by default" or out of habit, without being fully present or mindful. These activities can include endless scrolling on our smartphones or mindlessly watching TV. In these moments, we might look back and realise that we didn't even want to do those things, and they didn't bring any real value to our lives.
The consequence of these automatic behaviours is that we end up wasting precious time. We're losing opportunities for meaningful experiences or personal growth. However, it's essential to recognise that it's okay to engage in these activities if we have made a mindful choice to do so.
For instance, taking intentional breaks to relax and rest can be beneficial. If we decide to take 30 minutes to unwind on the couch and give our minds a break, that's perfectly fine. The key is being aware of our choices and understanding why we are doing what we are doing.
The problem arises when we allow these activities to control our schedules and become the default mode of spending our time. When we engage in them without any conscious decision, they take away from our moments of mindfulness and productivity.
Mindfulness in activities means making deliberate choices about how we spend our time and being fully present in those moments. It involves being intentional about the activities we engage in and aligning them with our values and goals.
By practising mindfulness in our activities, we can reclaim our time and make each moment count. We can avoid the trap of mindless behaviours and instead live more purposefully. So, the next time you find yourself automatically reaching for your phone or turning on the TV, pause for a moment and ask yourself if this is how you truly want to spend your time. Be mindful, make conscious choices, and let your activities be in harmony with your intentions and aspirations.
Example
Last time, I was scrolling on Instagram when I suddenly realised I had no idea why I was there or how long I had spent on the app. It’s just so easy to get sucked into those endless content media.
Now before opening these apps, I try to ask myself “Do I really want to spend some time there?” or “Am I okay with putting 30 minutes in mindless scrolling/viewing now?”.
Sometimes the answer is “Yes. It’s the end of the day, and my brain is already fried, I’d like to take a break”.
Sometimes it’s “I’m glad I thought about it because I can think of something to do now that will make me feel better about myself at the end of the day.”
And remember that today you can set time limits on your apps to avoid using them for too long every day. Again, if you set those limits mindfully now, they will be less frustrating and you will feel like they serve you instead of restricting you.
Bonus
You can also choose to be mindful of activities that you did not necessarily choose to do.
For instance, when you’re commuting to work, that’s time that is likely to be wasted, but you can choose to be present. You can take mental notes of what you can see, hear or smell. You can use that time to be mindful of what this seemingly insignificant travel actually hides.