Did you know Bill and Melinda Gates wash their dishes together every night? They admit it gives them time to pause, reflect, and have meaningful conversations with each other.
The late 2000s saw an increased emphasis on mental health, mindfulness, and their correlation. The benefits of mindfulness have been well discussed but the methods of practising it are very subjective. Some may do it through sport, some through music, and some by sitting down and focusing on their breath. The one thing all these methods have in common: asking you to be present in the moment than think of the past or speculate about the future.
Don’t worry, this isn’t another article about the benefits of mindfulness. Instead, we bring you five easy tasks which when done mindfully, will help you snap out of the fatigue of endless Zoom calls and work from home mode, and leave you energized. (Before you start them, we suggest you put your phone away altogether or at least in airplane mode.)
Task 1
Take pictures of/ sketch things inside your house that bring you joy. It can be anything from your coffee mug to your comforter. The only requirement – it must make you happy. You can also make a collage of these pictures and sketches later on as a reminder of things that bring a smile to your face.
Task 2
List the things in your life that are worrying you. Then put them under one of the two categories – ‘Acceptance’ or ‘Letting Go’. One soon realizes how most things that bog us down can be put under one of these groups. As Marcus Aurelius says, “You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”
Task 3
Lock your door, pick up your earplugs, play a song that reminds you of a good time in life or you generally love, and dance your heart out to it! (It’s also a quick workout.)
Task 4
This might seem unimpactful but you’ll be surprised at how it enhances your mood. Change your phone/ laptop wallpaper or your bedsheet. It helps break the monotony. And the feel of fresh, crisp bed sheets is bound to perk you up.
Task 5
Click on this link: https://window-swap.com/
This website was started by an Indian couple in Singapore who got sick of seeing the same view from their house during the lockdown, so they asked people from all over the world to take short videos of their current views and upload it. Happy virtual traveling!
Much like motivation, mindfulness isn’t a one size shirt that fits all but it’s tailored based on one’s requirements. If Winston Churchill, at the brink of World War II, could take out an hour every day to paint as a way of meditation, surely we can carve out 5-10 minutes each day to practice mindfulness in our own ways. And it doesn’t have to be through meditation. Even filling a page of an adult coloring book or a spot of gardening can bring you similar benefits.
