Increasing in popularity, mindfulness influences every aspect of our well-being. It’s the best way to be truly active, have fun, eat well and nourish our soul. This being said, we know it’s not easy to slow down, whether it’s body or mind! We also know it’s even harder when kids and teens are thrown into the mix.
So, to help you become more Zen, here are some proven tips from Oasis:
2 down-to-earth methods to ease your daily life
Try these tips with your family; they can be easily introduced to children of all ages.
Mindfulness Method #1: A simple step-by-step relaxation
To relax, start with… tensing up!? Yup!
This tip is inspired by the Jacobson method1: By voluntarily creating tension in certain muscles or in a group of muscles, such as your face, and then releasing, you’ll instantly feel relaxed. Literally letting go is a very powerful tool (and it can be used anywhere!).
Mindfulness Method #2: Simple, distraction-free eating
To hear your body’s fullness signals, you need to avoid screen distractions. Makes sense, right? When eating, get in the habit of turning off your notifications and putting your phone face down; you’ll likely truly enjoy your meal! By focusing on the meal and your family, you’ll feel when you’ve had enough to eat, perhaps even reducing the amount you ingest; by not going past that just-full-enough feeling, you’ll also feel better.
Let’s face it, most of us are phone addicts. To stop from reaching for your phone during meals, stick a funny decal on the back; when you see it, it’ll remind you that you’re on a screen break2!
Meals in sprint mode. This remind you of anyone?
Many of us eat too much, too quickly; to help you slow down, start by noticing your current habits. Time your meals and snacks to see how long they take; ideally, you should spend:
- minimum 20 minutes for meal time
- between 10 and 15 minutes for snack time
Self-love & body image
Eating well, savouring meals, and actually tasting food, is not only good for digestion, these tips are a great way to maintain a healthy relationship with food and your body and, therefore, your self-image. Don’t worry, it’s a process and we can all learn it!
Incorporating mindfulness is very beneficial: improved stress and emotion management, greater knowledge of self, healthier self-esteem, informed decision-making and much more! Why not ease your daily life by slowly integrating these tips into your routine?