7 Ways to Practise Mindfulness as a Busy Mum
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Nowadays, mindfulness for some people is just another buzzword. But what does it actually mean, and how can you practise mindfulness as a busy mum to calm your mind and get the most out of life? This is what I will share with you today, as well as some actionable tips on incorporating small mindful habits into your everyday life as a mum.
Let's get started with the basics
Being more mindful means staying in the present moment. It helps you to recognise the condition of happiness and that happiness is already present in your life. Most people are forgetful. They don't live in the present moment, because their mind is caught in their worries, their fears, their anger, and their regrets. They don’t recognise that their mind is wandering off. That state of being is called forgetfulness — you are there but you are not there. You are caught in the past or the future. Mindfulness is the opposite of forgetfulness. Mindfulness is when you are truly there in the present moment, when your mind and body become one.
How to establish mindfulness in everyday life
You might think that becoming more mindful means you have to meditate or practice it for hours every day. It can be, but it doesn't have to be. It can be much more practical, with some simple things you can do every day, even as a busy parent.
When it comes to your everyday life, awareness is the key. Awareness and the continuous practice of being in the present moment can be your secret ingredient to achieving a more mindful, and therefore a more peaceful state of mind.
Tips for being a mindful mum
First of all and most importantly, you don't need to make "being more mindful" yet another item on your long list of things to do - you already have enough on your plate! If it helps, see it more as a state of mind instead of something you need to do.
Here are some tips on how you can incorporate it into your daily life, without stressing too much about it.
It does not have to be a lot of effort. You can practice mindfulness in nearly every situation. Mindfulness is all about being in the present moment and you can practice it without much time or effort. Remind yourself regularly throughout your day to stay present.
Use all your senses and appreciate the small things in life. One simple tool to practice mindfulness is the use of all your senses. Notice your surroundings, how does it look, smell, and sound? Notice the smell and taste of your coffee. See the love in your children's eyes, when they look at you. Listen to the sound of the city or nature around you. How do your clothes feel on your skin? Appreciate the current moment - even if it is chaotic and busy. Treat it as precious as it is. It won't come back. You only experience this moment once before it's gone.
Avoid multitasking (if possible). If you are multitasking you are neither present in that moment nor focussed. When you do several things at once, it can evoke feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or unsteady. Focusing on one task at a time leads to feeling less drained over the day. It can be challenging at first as we are so used to multitasking, so start small with certain tasks and build up. Delegate to others wherever you can, and prioritise your tasks to make sure you do the most important things first.
Practice mindful eating. This is a wonderful and simple tool, which everyone can easily practice during the day. Use all your senses to notice the smell, the colour, the texture and flavours of your food. Eat slowly. Observe your movement and listen to your body. Are you hungry for the next bite, or are you already full? Learn to distinguish between hunger and appetite. Don’t feel like you need to finish your plate just for the sake of finishing it. As we learned before, avoid multitasking to be more present. Focus on simply eating without any distraction, i.e. no working, no smartphone, no Netflix while you're eating.
Accept the challenge. Hands down - being a mum is challenging. Sometimes you get lost in "what your child should do or should not do". Accept their behavior and feelings as they are right then and there. Don’t focus on where you have to go or what you have to do in the near or far future, focus on where you and your child are at right now at this given moment in time. Which leads to the next point.
Stop comparing. Being present and accepting situations, yourself and others as they are without judgement. You are just perfect the way you are and your children are just perfect the way they are. You can't control other people's behavior, but you can control your responses to it (Quote from Roberta Cava). So, stop comparing yourself. And enjoy your life to the fullest.
Take some time off. I know that's a hard one. But you need some time for yourself. Even if that's just 10 minutes a day. The best time is probably when the kids are already asleep. Read a book, Journal, drink a cup of tea, listen to beautiful music, do some stretching, or practice meditation. Priorise your alone-time by making it a habit.
You don’t have to make a huge effort to be a mindful mum. You have it already within you. By taking these simple and doable steps, without stressing yourself, you will naturally become more present and mindful. It will bring you deep connection, appreciation, and calm your mind in stressful times. By making mindfulness a habit, you will learn to enjoy your life to the fullest. Every single moment has something to offer for you, you just need to allow yourself to reconnect to that moment.
To support you in becoming more mindful by making it a habit, I created a 21-Day Habit Tracker for you. You can download your free Habit Tracker here.
Bio: Katja is a Sydney based certified Health Coach and Yoga Teacher. With a background in the corporate world, her work as a health coach is focused on working with women to improve their overall health and fitness and help them to lose some weight. Katja founded her health coaching business in 2018 to combine her knowledge and experience from being a business coach with her passion for healthy habits. In her opinion, it is always a mixture of nutrition, movement, work-life balance, and a healthy mind. To find out more about Katja’s services head to http://blog.katjafeil.com.
