Mindfulness has been a bit of buzz word for a few years now and yet there are so many people who are still not entirely sure what it is, never mind how it can help them.
In very simple terms Mindfulness is just about being Mindful of the present. We spend so much of our time working on autopilot that we often do things, see things, eat things, hear things and smell things but do we even register them. Being mindful is about turning our focus and spending a few moments just noticing what is around us with a view to just accepting it.
Benefits of Mindfulness
Studies carried out on the benefits of mindfulness continue to back up and confirm that regular mindfulness practice has many health benefits – both physically and mentally. From helping reduce high blood pressure, treat heart disease, lower blood pressure, reduce chronic pain, improve sleep, help alleviate gastrointestinal difficulties, reduce anxiety, treat depression, manage stress levels and much much more. So, why are so many of us NOT doing it.
“I’m just not sure”
Largely because mindfulness has a reputation closely associated with things like meditation, yoga and all things spiritual, many people don’t think it’s ‘their thing’, or they believe it’s too hard, they don’t have time, they are worried about what others will think, sometimes they just genuinely don’t have a clue how to do it. The reasons are many – but when you look at what it can help with – surely we should all just give it a try?
How is it done?
The magic of mindfulness is that it can literally be done anywhere, anytime and for any length of time – from 30 seconds to hours – you don’t need any special equipment and it’s completely free. There are literally hundreds if not thousands of mindfulness exercises – the key is to find the ones that you like, enjoy and can be easily slotted into your daily routine.
As a teacher, introducing mindfulness to your students will also not only help you practice your own skills – but can help give them the tools to manage their mental health, behaviour and stress levels much better as they progress through the education system.
Here are just a few simple exercises you can practice on your own or introduce into the classroom when you need a Mindful Moment.
- Listening: (1 – 3 minutes)
Ask everyone in the room to sit comfortably and close their eyes if they feel comfortable to do so. Tell them when we close our eyes this turns the power of our other senses up. Then set a timer and tell them they have either 1 or 2 minutes (I’d start with 1) to count as many different noises as possible. When the timer finishes ask for numbers first, then ask what kind of noises were people surprised to hear. Were they all external noises or did some of them start to hear things like their heartbeat etc. Try not to lead too much with this – you’ll be amazed what they come up with. And of course – try it yourself. This exercise can also be done with your eyes open whilst out walking – works particularly well in nature when there are lots of bird/insect noises. - Body scan (3 – 5 minutes)
This exercise can be done sat in a chair or lying on the floor. Again, ideally with eyes closed, get everyone to start at their head and imagine they are scanning their body with a very special scan. The idea is for you (& them) to notice how each body part is feeling? Is it tense or relaxed, is it hot or cold, is it twitching or still, how does the chair or the floor feel against their body, how do their clothes feel, is their weight evening spread etc. Ideally you want at least 10-15 seconds on each body part initially. This exercise is sometimes easier of you tense your body first then relax it and notice how that feels. - Heartbeat exercise (3 – 5 minutes)
Paying attention to your heartbeat is used a lot in mindfulness exercises. To start with, you need to get active in some way… so getting your class to jump up and down or do star jumps for one minute as an easy one to do. It’s great if you can join in – just remember to set a timer. When they have finished, have them sit straight down and put their hand over their heart. Instruct them to close their eyes and pay attention only to their heartbeat and, perhaps, their breath as well. They can count or just notice how quickly it slows down. Get them to open their eyes when they think it’s back to normal. - Breathing (1 – 3 minutes)
With your hand on your stomach, in any position (stood, sat or lying down) – take a deep breath in and focus on filling your stomach with air – it should push out your hand. Start with breathing in for the count of 4, then slowly breathing out for the same amount of time. You can change the number as you/they get more used to it. The focus should be on your stomach as it inflates & deflates.
There are so many more exercises you can do either yourself or with a class full of students – some are more ‘playful’ and some are calm – but all of them are based around helping your mind practice focus and noticing the present. Have some fun with it and see for yourself the difference it can make. Just 5 minutes of mindful moments a day can be transformational.
If you would like more information about Mindfulness sessions and support, please get in touch with our sister company FusionHR on 01924 827869 or go to www.fusionbusiness.org.uk.
This blog was written by Nicky Lloyd Greame, founder of The Stress Specialist at https://www.thestressspecialist.com
