Mindfulness activities to do this summer.

It’s often easy to get caught up in the seemingly never-ending to-do lists and stresses of everyday life, but studies show that mindfulness is a great way to boost wellbeing and overall happiness. And best of all, it’s an easy skill to begin implementing straight away.

Mindfulness can be as simple as taking 5 minutes to yourself and your thoughts while boiling the kettle for an afternoon cuppa (who knew meditation could be so easy!), or a bigger commitment like learning a new sport or activity. As long as you’re taking a break from your phone and focusing on your own thoughts, you’re practicing mindfulness! The goal, no matter the activity, is to teach ourselves the value of calming our minds and learning to sloooooooow ourselves down.

Without mindfulness, we can often drift into negative thought patterns which involve us worrying about the future. It’s especially easy to do this when you’re spending lots of time scrolling on your phone, as digital distractions can tear you away from feeling fully present and can take a toll on your overall happiness. A digital detox doesn’t need to be as extreme as an all or nothing break from your phone—simply setting a timer or designated scrolling windows can help to free up some time for mindful activities instead.

Our favourite ways to introduce mindfulness in our daily routine are:

1. Exercising: whether a slow walk to the shops at lunchtime or taking up a new sport, anything that gets you focusing on your breathing and your body will be great for boosting your mental wellbeing.
2. Gardening: getting your hands dirty in nature is a perfect mindful activity. You don’t need to remodel your garden or even spend the day mowing the lawn, simply taking the time to water and prune your plants is beneficial. Both you and your plants will appreciate it!
3. Getting out into nature: being outside is incredibly helpful for improving your happiness. Not only will this provide you with a dose of Vitamin D, but there’s plenty to focus on. Listening to birds, watching clouds pass in the sky, or feeling the cool grass beneath your feet are all small mindful activities you can implement.
4. Changing your scenery: this is particularly key if you work from home. Too often, we can find ourselves sitting in one position in one room all day—so take some time to find a new spot where you can comfortably work from. The change of location will help your brain feel more engaged, so you’ll also notice you feel more alert!
5. Taking care of yourself: this is our most important mindfulness tip. Feeling good internally is helped by how we look after our wellbeing. This can be preparing ourselves a nutritious and well-balanced meal, remembering to apply suncream (even on overcast days!), and staying hydrated. You’ll notice a difference!

There’s so many small ways to begin creating your own mindfulness routine, so try some of the above habits and see what works best for you. Let us know if you try any of our tips!