On a basic level, being present (or mindful) means being focused on one thing—a conversation with your loved one, a work-related project, or any task at hand. You engage in these activities, without any distractions, being lost in thought, or wanting to go somewhere else.
On a deeper level, it means being able to come to terms with challenging emotions as they arise. You might have developed the habit of leaving your emotions alone in the pursuit of other things. These emotions grow more challenging the longer you ignore them, making life more difficult.
As our lives get more saturated, it becomes increasingly important that we exercise mindfulness in all things.
How to Be Present
Your body can only occupy one space, but your mind can drift elsewhere. This tuning out often happens when you’re stressed, bored, or distracted with other matters. Here are a few ways you can practice being more present.
1. Appreciate the little joys.
Recognize and enjoy even the smallest things that bring you happiness.
We often think that celebrations are reserved for big occasions, from big festivities to personal milestones (graduation, marriage, parenthood, or winning a competition). While they are worthy of celebration, if you continue looking forward to these rare opportunities to celebrate, you’ll forget about the little joys and triumphs that you experience every day.
Bumping into an old friend, getting a good night’s sleep, starting a new hobby, and finding some money in your old clothes—there are all worthy of a little celebration. To recognize life’s little victories, try keeping a gratitude journal to track what you’re grateful for every day.
2. Engage your 5 senses.
Pay attention to the information your senses send to your brain.
When you’re in a rush, you absorb things on a surface level. For example, when you’re running late and gulping down your morning coffee, you know you’re drinking coffee, but you’re probably not focusing on the taste. Focusing and understanding the information that your senses bring you lets you better appreciate that you’re alive right now.
Give yourself some moments during the day where you can concentrate on what you hear, smell, touch, see, and taste. They can be as simple as savoring the flavors of your food during lunch, or noting down distant sounds as you rest during the evening.
3. Listen well before responding.
Give your full attention to what a person says before formulating a response.
You might have developed the habit of thinking about what to add to a conversation, rather than listening to the person who’s talking to you. This can lead to miscommunication, as you’re effectively failing to understand what the other person says or means.
Be a better listener by trying to focus on the person, understand the context of what they’re saying, and only form a response once they’re done talking. Doing it this way means that you’re actively being curious of the conversation instead of only anticipating what you want to say.
4. Digital detox
Decrease the time you spend using your computer or phone.
It’s easy to become addicted to the digital world. There’s a lot of fun apps to spend your time with, like social media and games. Spend some time away from these things and do other activities that don’t require electronic devices.
Read a book, go on a walk, meditate, or cook a meal. Do a few things every day that don’t require the use of the internet.
5. Write things down!
Jot down all your thoughts and ideas first thing in the morning.
One likely reason you can’t stay present is all the stuff you’re constantly think about. It’s difficult to be present when you’re frequently switching between different trains of thought.
Writing morning pages (writing three pages of anything that pops into your mind first thing in the morning) unloads any stray thoughts onto paper so you can give your full attention to the tasks at hand later. In fact, just writing things down in general comes with a lot of proven benefits!
6. Complete tasks one task at a time.
Focus on completing one task before worrying about another.
Multitasking is a myth. Rather than doing multiple tasks at a time, what you actually do is rapidly switch attention from task to task. Even then, you’ll still find it hard to do a good job when constantly jumping between tasks.
When you start a task, stick to it until completion before moving to another one. This way, you can actually pay close attention and do your best in completing it.
7. Loosen up.
Stop worrying about the little things and just go with the flow.
You might be constantly worried about your next steps in order to avoid making mistakes or embarrassing yourself. But no one’s watching you, so it’s okay to loosen up a bit. Thinking too hard about the things you do might actually worsen your performance and prevent you from enjoying the present moment.
When you’re dancing, for example, a lot of beginners are body conscious and constantly think about the next steps. It makes their movements awkward and forced. In contrast, people who feel the music and go with it regardless of dancing skills seem to not only enjoy the activity, but also dance better.
8. Do a body check.
Take time to see if your body needs something.
When you’re living in a fast-paced world, it’s easy to forget about your needs. A lot of people go for check-ups and are surprised when doctors tell them they’re dehydrated, stressed, or in an unhealthy condition.
Pay attention to the signs your body exhibits when it lacks something. Constant sleepiness can indicate fatigue, dry lips can mean dehydration, a lack of energy can be due to hunger, and so on. Recognizing these signs and correcting them early on keeps you in a better state of physical and mental health.
9. Dream big for tomorrow, work hard today.
Set S.M.A.R.T goals for the future, and work on them today.
A lot of us like setting goals and dreams, but never take the necessary steps to achieve them. Dreaming big for your future is only productive and effective when you work on your plan today. How would you reach those dreams otherwise?
Make sure that the path you set for yourself is specific, measurable, actionable, realistic, and time-bound. The more clear you are on your path, the less you need to worry about the future, and the more you can focus on the present.
10. Build mindfulness into your relationships.
Appreciate the moments you share with your loved ones.
When you’re with family and friends, scrolling through social media may not be the best way to connect. Try to engage in activities that strengthen your bonds and provide you with good memories.
You can play a board game together, get into an impromptu jam session (even if you’re not the best singers), cook meals together, or even do group workouts. These are activities that will make you appreciate that you’re spending time with them now.
What Is the Present Moment?
The present moment, or the “here and now,” essentially means that you are aware of the things happening to you and around you at this very moment. Your musings of the past and future don’t get in the way of experiencing the present.
Everything that happens can only happen in the present. The past only consists of memories, and the future is only a prediction of what’s ahead. Therefore, the present is the only place where actions matter.
Why Do You Need To Be in the Present?
A positive mental state has always been linked to positive health conditions. Present Mental Awareness has much the same effect as other positive mindsets like optimism and acceptance.
1. Reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.
A 2016 study involving 143 adults found that present moment awareness makes it easier for you to cope with not only one stressful event, but also stress that you might encounter in the future. The same researchers found that mindfulness made people less avoidant and better able to cope when stressed.
Another study that analyzed 39 other mindfulness studies found that mindfulness-based therapy has a positive effect on changing affective and cognitive processes that are linked to multiple clinical issues. People who undergo these kinds of therapy generally exhibit fewer signs of anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders.
It has also been proven to improve emotional regulation, leading to better moods and better stress management.
2. Boost your cognition.
Mindfulness training (MT) seems to have a positive effect on our working memory. A 2010 study examined two groups (with one practicing MT, the other not) that underwent stressful periods of time. The group practicing MT had visible working memory improvements.
Another study also found that brief meditation training can enhance your mental abilities. The study tracked participants who had no prior meditation training. After only four days of training, they were found to have significantly improved visuospatial processing, working memory, and executive functioning.
One study also reported on how mindfulness meditation can affect a person’s ability to focus and suppress distracting information. The researchers compared a group of experienced mindfulness meditators to a group with no mindful meditation training. The meditation group had a significantly better performance in attention and self-reported mindfulness.
3. Enjoy greater relationship satisfaction.
Research has found that mindfulness can increase your relationship satisfaction, or your ability to respond well to relationship stress and communicate your emotions and thoughts to your partner. Mindfulness can protect you from the emotionally stressful effects of relationship conflict, help you express yourself in social situations, and generally increase relationship satisfaction.
Of course, there are still many more benefits of mindfulness, ranging from the physical to the personal. These three are only some of the more far-reaching effects that mindfulness can bring to your life.
Being Present Matters
It’s easy to get caught up in the past, or focus so much on the future that you forget to process what you’re experiencing right now. The next thing you know, opportunities and special moments have passed you by, and all you can show is regret.
Living in the moment is not only a positive state of mind but also a way of enriching the one life you have. Each moment in your life has meaning, and you should make the most of each. The better you understand and cherish your present, the more optimistic you can be in the face of any challenge.
Do you have any personal tips for staying present? Share them in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- How to Be Happy: A Happiness Checklist for Revamping Your Life
- 10 Books About Anxiety That Will Help You Reclaim Your Life
- How to Be Brave: 6 Tips for Embracing Fear and Living the Life of Your Dreams
- How Morning Pages Can Improve Your Writing (and Your Life)
Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
