Our lives have so many distractions in today’s materialistic world, be it our thoughts or technology.  In search of wealth and making our future secure, we at times are doing it at the cost of our physical and Mental health. In one way we are trying to get closer to each other through various technology tools but most of the times it is distracting and creating more and more distance.

Research has found that on an average we spend 41% of our time with our mind lost in our thoughts – thinking about the future and the past – but rarely the current moment, which actually is the mindlessness norm. Our senses are constantly under the influence of some stimuli – to such an extent that at some point the simple silence becomes unbearable for some. This world is a busy place and people here are constantly distracted, with so many thoughts in their heads that it becomes impossible to keep one’s mind in the right direction and be mindful.

Mindfulness is the ability to stay in the present moment and to focus your thoughts and whatexactly is happening at the present moment.  The practice of mindfulness can bring many benefits to your emotional and physical health, as well as to the relationships in your life.Practicing mindfulness can improve your concentration, bring mental clarity, and reduce stress.No matter where are you, what time of day it is, mindfulness can bring awareness to your body, thoughts, emotions and surroundings. It brings our attention back to the present moment and tobe in tune with our mental and physical state. Just like our bodies, our minds need training to function at their best. Mindfulness is a form of mental training that supports the mind to be more focused and effective. Mindfulness can also be sensory, as in noticing every sound, taste, odor and touch sensation in your environment, then leaving these impressions behind.

Some question that we should ask to ourselves about being “mindful” or in other way being in the “present moment. These questions should be:

? What can you do to become more mindful in your daily life? 

? How does this help us in this busy world?

? Where can we practice mindfulness?

? Do we need any special training to practice mindfulness? 

? Do you feel your mind wanders?

Let us know how being mindful or practice mindfulness will be helpful in our daily activities. It is the continuous practice of touching life deeply in every moment of daily life. To be mindful is to be truly alive, present, and at one with those around you and with what you are doing.  If you start practicing mindfulness your body and mind will be in harmony while we wash the dishes, drive the car, or take our morning shower or anything we do during the day, you just have toperform them with a heightened sense of awareness. 

• Mindfulness should start in the morning because beginning your day with conscious attention and intention sets a conscious tone to your day ahead.

• Do you feel that while eating most of the times you don’t taste the food and even at times you don’t remember what you took yesterday? Then it is time to be mindful. When you eat, be present with your food, as inattention can contribute to a host of problems, like overeating and consuming too much sugar.

• Focus on your positives: It gently brings the good stuff to the forefront of your mind and leave behind all the negativity.

• Have you ever felt that you don’t remember while driving that you have crossed some curve or road as if your car were in “auto pilot” mode? This can be dangerous and cause accidents. But if being mindful while driving you will notice the wind in your face and the temperature in the air. You will feel the difference as if you will surely notice something new. Being attentive in present can save your or someone’s life.

• Do you feel that you are always busy and you don’t give time to your family or friends? This can be very problematic for your relationships. Then it is important to be mindful. As in mindfulness you have to observe the relationships in a non judgmental way. When you will be present with your family/friends during their conversation, it can befruitful for your relationship.

• Sometimes small tasks you do for yourself such as brushing your teeth, bathing, making your bed, or washing utensils etc., these things you do every day but at times you don’t even remember you did it or not, or even if you remember but still you feel your mind was wandering that time. But you can still enjoy such small daily tasks by mindfulness by paying attention to small things around these tasks such as pay attention to the minty smell of the paste, the coolness as it touches your teeth, enjoy the feeling of washing your hair, feeling the soap on your skin, and soaking in the warmth etc.

One   important thing to remember is that you are doing things already but now you have toknow how to transform them into a mindful way or practice. You can practice mindfulness in any activities you’re involved in throughout your days. Mindfulness will pull out all the negativities caused by too much daily stress. It will help you to make fewer errors while doing these daily activities. It will help you to be resilient for daily stresses. It should be a daily routine for you to practice mindfulness. 

Mindfulness is an important practice for us to lead happy and meaningful lives. Mindfulness can improve your psychological and general well-being, relieve your stress, lower your blood pressure, improve the quality of sleep, help to counter symptoms of depressionand protect you from substance abuse.

Mindfulness takes practice and effort, and you can practice on a regular basis, learning how to be present in the moment is also a way of life. No one is good at it when they first start, but, with practice and patience, you'll get better.