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Focus on Your Breathing
Bring awareness to your breath.
Place one hand on your chest and one hand on your belly
Inhale deeply through your nose, exhale slowly through your mouth.
Take 10 breaths.
While you're breathing...
What happens in your body as you inhale? As you exhale?
Acknowledge your thoughts as they come.
Do not rush and try to think only of your breathing.
If your mind wanders, acknowledge where it goes, and then gently refocus on your breaths.
Focus on Your Senses
Bringing awareness to your 5 senses.
Photo by Cris Trung on UnsplashClose your eyes and bring your awareness to your senses, one by one:
What do you smell, taste, and hear?
What are the different parts of your body feeling?
Photo by Marina Vitale on UnsplashOpen your eyes and find 5 things around you that are:
red
round
smooth
Quiz
You're feeling distracted. There are a lot of things you can do to bring your focus back to the present. What might be helpful for practicing mindfulness? Select all that apply:
Focusing on your breath helps to bring your awareness back to your body in the present. A simple activity such as taking a walk or washing the dishes helps you engage with your environment. Focus on your senses while doing these simple activities. Checking your phone takes you out of your real environment, and can distract your attention. Sometimes it is good for your health to silence your phone and set it aside!
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Take Action
For the rest of the day, try to note what activities you do mindlessly. Notice when your mind wanders.
When you notice this, gently bring your focus back to the present.
At your next meal...
This Byte has been authored by
Tressa Thompson
Graduate Student in International Education at New York University
This Byte has been reviewed by
Lana Do
MD, MPH, BCMAS