A popular and frequently used technique is mindfulness of your daily routine. It works like this... you use your senses to help you focus on simple tasks that you do throughout the day. Try the following examples...
Washing up the dishes: Sight: soap bubbles Smell: fragrance of the washing up liquid Feel: warmth of the water Hear: splashing of the dishes in the sink Taking a shower: Sight: steam rising Smell: soap and conditioner Feel: water on your head and back Hear: water rushing down Hanging out the washing: Sight: blue sky and clouds Smell: clothes freshly washed Feel: the fabric of the clothes and pegs in your hand Hear: wind in the trees Gardening: Sight: blades of grass, soil, and flowers Smell: fresh earth and flowers Feel: the ground beneath your feet Hear: birds Cooking: Sight: the food as you stir it in the pot Smell: aroma of herbs and spices Feel: the produce as you peel and cut Hear: sizzling and boiling and chopping sounds Taste: the flavours - salty, sweet, sour...? You could apply this technique to any task you like - just try and focus on each of your senses in turn and notice what you can see here think feel (and taste).
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This is normal and natural and happens to everyone. Learning to focus your attention is like strengthening a muscle. We need to keep repeating the same action over and over to get stronger muscles and focus of attention. Try an active meditation eg walking so that you are less likely to be distracted by your thoughts. Pick a time of day for your daily practice. Your mind is like a stage – the attention is like where you shine the lights on the stage. Your mind will keep hooking you and taking your attention off the focus (eg the narrators voice or your breathing) and onto other things (eg. your worries, sounds outside). Just keep refocusing your attention again and again. You will become more confident and less likely to be distracted over time. Just like a buddhist monk – learning a new skill takes practice. Were you confident the first time you rode a bike? No, you had to keep practicing and you got better and better over time. Just don’t give up. There are lots of apps out there to help you. Start with briefer meditations eg 2 or 5 minutes, and work your way up. You could try apps that match your practice to an activity eg walking or eating.
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AuthorAmanda Hall is a Clinical Psychologist with over 25 years' experience Archives
December 2023
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