3 Actionable Mindfulness Tips to Reduce Stress
Hello beautiful people! Mindful March is in full swing and if you’ve been feeling the quarter year stress like I have been, here’s 3 real-life, actionable, and practical tips to help you get back in tune with your body, mind, and soul.
Tip #1: Go back to the basic necessities.
Sleep. Hydration. Movement. Nutrition. If you're feeling burnt out, you're probably sacrificing one or multiple of these domains to keep up with the rhythm of your life.
- Adults need 7-9 hours of sleep every night. This means getting on a consistent schedule and not a wacky M-F alarm + weekend alarm + random late nights here and there.
- If your sleep schedule has been thrown off, start by getting up at the same time every day (yes that includes weekends). Then slowly start going to bed earlier by 15 minute- 45 minute intervals every night for a week, adjusting until you're at your desired bed time.
- Drink at least 64 oz of water/ day, but aim to drink your body weight in ounces of water every single day. You'll notice an energy boost, a clearer mind, and a healthy glow.
- Intentionally elevate your heart rate for at least 30 minutes/ day. A brisk walk to the grocery store, a group fitness class, weight lifting, etc. all count towards this.
- It's super easy to skip out on the exercise, but make an effort to add up those move minutes throughout the day.
- Eat feel good foods for your body, not your emotions. Sure pizza and ice cream can feel good in the moment, but your body won't feel that way after prolonged stress on the digestive system. Try to add some dark leafy greens, dark oranges, and probiotic foods (like yogurt, tempeh, or pickled veg) to help restore balance to your gut.
Tip #2: Practice and cultivate gratitude.
Often times, we work so hard without knowing why we are doing what we do or we lose sight of what is truly important to us.
- Gratitude helps us reframe our perspective. It forces us to look at the present moment instead of focus on what our future holds and mitigates the stress of uncertainty.
- Grow gratitude by acknowledging the little things. Yes, you can be grateful for your parents, your significant other, your friends, and your job. But what about that you got to work safely? Or that there wasn't a wait line when you ordered your lunch today? Or that a stranger gave you directions to where you needed to go? That's how you grow gratitude.
Tip #3: Unplug and take a few moments to do a body scan.
It's time to reconnect with your soul. Find a time in the week (if you can, every day) and sit in silence to check in with your body.
- A body scan is a style of mindfulness meditation that helps you bring attention and awareness to what your mind is thinking and how your body is feeling in a non-judgemental space.
- Start by sitting down, feet on the ground, palms up on your thighs, and eyes closed. Alternatively, you can lie down on your back with the palms up on either sides of your body.
- Take a couple deep breaths and start listening to your thoughts. Take note of what's there and let them pass through.
- Now starting at the head, start mentally scanning down your body noting any pain or discomfort in your head, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, fingers, chest, abdominals, glutes, legs, ankles, feet, and toes.
- You can also clench the muscles for a few seconds as you scan down and then release the tension to let it flow through you.
This exercise can be done anywhere at anytime, repeated if you wish, and takes as little as 30 seconds to complete.
The greatest gift you have is the present moment. Hopefully, you’ve realized that living in the past and the future is impossible.
Let me know how you’re going to implement these tips into your life so you can be more mindful of your energy and better your day.
I’m here for you as always :)