Personal Development Series: Practise Mindfulness to Live Well

Live Well

"He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much."

-Bessie Anderson Stanley

Image Credit: Unsplash by Amelia Bartlette


Work, Family, Friends, and Self

Ask yourself now, when was the last time you achieved and enjoyed something at work? What about achieved and enjoyed with your family; your friends? And recently have you achieved and enjoyed something just for you?

In the era of digital evolution and escalation of information overload through various social media channels, we are constantly bombarded with news, images, ideas, and opinions. Social distancing as a result of the global pandemic has heightened initiatives by media houses and brands with ongoing marketing and promotional information that our boxes are loaded with.

Though most of us are working from home currently, it is not uncommon for us to often be required to multi-task as we juggle the needs of our private life, family, and work. Taking time out to relax and regroup our thoughts is so important to our WELLBEING and productivity.

Mindfulness is a technique that can help us cope better and allow us to mitigate some of the influences of stress, improving our quality of life. We are living in a fast-paced society and everyone is busy. We rarely have the time to pause and simply be absorbed with the environment or be present with the person that we are with or talking to. It is about self-awareness and being able to recognize when you are caught up with an accumulation of mental and emotional overload. Mindfulness is a very useful technique that is simple to apply and can offer us great benefits towards living well.

Various clinical research shows that 'Mindfulness' practice is beneficial in managing anxiety, depression, chronic pain addiction, and so on.

How Mindfulness can benefit you: Practising mindfulness can help you cope with everyday life and deal with tough times. 

When can mindfulness help:

• If you have trouble focusing

• If you often find yourself worrying or stressed about things

• If you want to improve your mental and physical well-being.

Simple ways to practice mindfulness: 

You don't need a guru to be mindful- in fact, you can develop mindfulness during regular activities like walking, driving, exercises, or even doing something as basic as having a warm bath. Of course, it is also beneficial to take a little time out every day to practise mindfulness as a deliberate relaxation technique.

Image Credit: Unsplash by Sandra Martins

Develop mindfulness by taking time out as basic as having a warm bath and reading a book. 

How do you feel?

Focus only on the present moment- what is happening for you right now? Is your breathing fast or slow? Are you tired? Are you exhausted? How do you feel?

The Asian work ethic has always been to focus on work, sometimes to the detriment of personal and family relationships and responsibilities. Here are some simple ways to become more mindful:

Image Credit: Unsplash by Sandra Martins

Decluttering your life through a home makeover allows you to focus, regain some energy, and be more productive. It has a huge positive impact on mental health. It improves mood, reduces anxiety, and is an important way to practise self-care. 

• Declutter your life- 

Have you seen those home makeover shows (a.k.a Tidying Up with Marie Kondo- the renowned organizing guru) where they clear out all the clutter in the room and then reorganize the room to returning only these things that are vital to the 'happiness' (Marie Kondo calls it items that  SPARK JOY)of the homeowners? You can use the same process to reorganize your life.  

• Delegate like pro- 

Good leaders or managers know the value of delegating responsibility by pairing people with jobs that they can do well, adding some encouragement, and letting go.

• Do a good enough job- 

Sometimes things need to be done with precision and perfection, but more often, they don't. Live by the 80-20 rule, where you identify the 20% of work that yields 80% of the results, and focus mainly on what's important, letting the rest slip if necessary.

• Live in the now, but keep the future in mind- 

Do you have a plan for the future? For example, when choosing whether to exercise or watch television, thinking about the long-term benefits that would come from each makes it easier to skip a moderately entertaining show in favor of getting healthy.

• Stay organized- 

Being organized is vital to finding balance in life. If you have a schedule where everything fits, you'll be more efficient with your time.

• Consult your inner child-

Sometimes we need to take a break from doing the mundane to going to parties or indulging in hobbies like gardening, fishing, or painting, and remember to try to keep fun things in your life and stressful things out of it.

• Find time to relax-

It's a matter of goal setting. Have your 'ME' moments where you clear your head and slow down your thoughts. Be more aware of yourself, your body, and the environment. Slow down your nervous system which can help you sleep better. 

Being mindful helps you enjoy every little moment of life as it happens, which has a really positive impact on your mental and physical health. The more you practise mindfulness, the better you'll become at it. If you're struggling with a particular strategy, try a different one. Every person is different, and you may find some strategies easier than others. 

Improvements you can expect:

With continued practice of mindfulness, you will start to notice an overall improvement in various areas of your life, have a greater sense of vitality. As you ruminate less and focus more, you may make fewer careless mistakes, work with greater efficiency, and enjoy your efforts more fully, both on the job and off. And before you realize it, you learn how to live well and you have become a better 'YOU', have better relationships, and a better lifestyle.

"The idea is to manage MINDFUL Living and integrate MINDFULNESS into your LIFESTYLE and WORKING style."

-The image Factor

We would love to hear from you. What worked, what didn't, what was your experience, where were your outcomes? 

Feel free to input comments below or email us directly at teresadianchew5@gmail.com to have a chat. 

Stay Safe, Stay Positive and Stay healthy.