by Ella Rigby This past year has been chaotic, stressful, and challenging to say the least. A global pandemic, a barrage of troubling news, social media content that seems impossible to detach from, and the uncertainty of what our new normal will be. Students not only carry this stress, but the additional weight of heavy course loads, completing important projects and midterms, and adapting to the virtual format of Zoom-iversity while learning at home. It can feel impossible to be present in the moment when you are constantly faced with major life stressors and the added pressure of succeeding in school. Unfortunately, there is no one miracle cure for that stress; however, mindfulness is a strategy that can help you achieve a little more calm during everyday life. Mindfulness is certainly a buzzword within the wellness industry and the mental health sector in general, but what does it mean? It's actually quite simple; mindfulness is the practice of cultivating awareness of the present moment, accepting each passing thought, emotion, and sensation without repression or judgment (Grecucci et al., 2015). It is simple in concept, but it is not easy and, like any skill, it requires intentionality and repetition. People around the world have been practicing mindfulness for thousands of years with its main roots being in Hinduism and Buddhism (Grecucci et al., 2015). The goal of becoming more mindful is to gain perspective on your own experience and to ground yourself in the immediacy of the moment (Psychology Today, 2020). It has been proven to be tremendously beneficial for coping with stress, improving focus, and decreasing rumination and emotional reactivity (Davis & Hayes, 2020; Grecucci et al., 2015). The good thing about mindfulness is that it is free and easy to incorporate into even the busiest student’s routine with a little practice. You don’t need to meditate for hours or work to achieve a constant state of total inner peace, but you can incorporate daily habits and practices that can help you become a more mindful and, hopefully, a less stressed student. 5 Mindfulness Practices for Busy Students1. Mindful Mornings Whether you roll out of bed and go straight to Zoom class in your PJs (no judgment, that’s usually my strategy too), or you are up early to wake up with the sun, everyone has some sort of morning routine. Mornings are a perfect time to pause and take a moment to incorporate mindfulness and set you up for a better, less stressful day. It can be as simple as taking a few minutes to direct your attention to the sensory experience of enjoying your morning coffee. Notice how the mug warms your hands, how the coffee smells, what it tastes like, and how it makes you feel. Maybe you are mindful of the gratitude you have for this moment of solitude, or maybe your brain keeps dragging your attention towards your upcoming exam. Either way, you are doing a great job of trying to incorporate mindfulness into your day. 2. Deep Breathing This technique is popular for a reason; it is an easy and effective tool for reducing stress. Deep breathing helps to activate your parasympathetic nervous system which decreases your fight or flight response promoting relaxation (André, 2019). Try the 4-7-8 breath: inhale through your nose for four seconds, hold for seven seconds, and exhale through your mouth for eight seconds (MNT, 2019). The next time you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, try taking some deep breaths while solely focusing on the physical sensations of inhaling and exhaling. 3. Take Things One Task at a Time It can be challenging to be mindful when you have a long to-do list of assignments, readings, papers, and projects. It can become even more difficult when you are constantly thinking about all of the work you have to do to prepare for next week's midterm, instead of dealing with the task at hand. This is where practical mindfulness comes in. Practice noticing when you become distracted or stressed about a future task. When you notice yourself becoming distracted, slow down and pause for a minute. Take a deep breath, and try to bring yourself back to the present moment. You may notice yourself becoming caught up in worries often and that’s okay! The important thing is to practice recognizing these distractions, and bringing your awareness back to the now. 4. Get Outside Try getting outdoors at least once a day to get some fresh air, vitamin D, endorphins, and more mindfulness into your day! Going for a mindful walk can be very relaxing and can act as a good reset when you have been cooped up studying all day. You do not need to go out for long either, even a five-minute mindful walk can be very beneficial. Practice mindfulness by shifting your attention to your different senses, what do you see in your environment? What can you hear around you? When you find your thoughts wandering, bring that conscious awareness back to your surroundings and try to enjoy the scenery (Purdue University Global, 2019)! 5. Mini Mindful Meditations Meditation is a useful practice for reducing stress and cultivating mindfulness, although it can seem challenging to fit into your schedule a short meditation session can go a long way in improving your wellbeing (Renjen & Chaudhari, 2017). This is why I like mini-meditations; short 1-5 minute guided meditations that help bring your awareness back to the present moment. Apps like headspace, calm, and atom are all great options for free guided meditations. Find time in the morning, before bed, during a study break, or whenever you can to try practicing some mini-meditations. Mindfulness is more than a buzzword and more than a marketing concept. Mindfulness is a tool that we can all use to deal with the intense pace of our lives, and manage the stress that accompanies our busy schedules. Like any skill, mindfulness takes practice, repetition and intent to truly benefit. Start small, and remember that it gets easier as you practice. A little mindfulness every day can have a major impact on how you manage stress, and give you one more tool in your tool-box for navigating these difficult times. Be well friends. - Ella Ella is a first-year student at the University of Guelph and is a First Year Representative on the Psychology Society. Do YOU have wellness tips you'd like to share with Psychology students? Make sure you fill out our submission form and send it back to us by email so we can showcase your ideas! References and Resources
André, C. (2019, January 15). Proper Breathing Brings Better Health. Retrieved from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/proper-breathing-brings-better-health/ Davis, D. M., Hayes, J.A. What are the benefits of mindfulness? Retrieved February 3, 2020, from https://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/07-08/ce-corner Grecucci, A., Pappaianni, E., Siugzdaite, R., Theuninck, A., & Job, R. (2015). Mindful Emotion Exploring the Neurocognitive Mechanisms behind Mindfulness. BioMed Research International, 2015, 670724–670729. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/670724 Psychology Today. Mindfulness. Retrieved February 2, 2020, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/mindfulness MNT - Medical News Today. 4-7-8 breathing: How it works, benefits, and uses. (2019). Retrieved February 8, 2020, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324417 Purdue University Global. (2019, July 08). The (Nontraditional) College Student's Guide to Mindfulness. Retrieved February 2, 2020, from https://www.purdueglobal.edu/blog/student-life/college-students-guide-mindfulness/ Renjen, P., & Chaudhari, D. (2017). Neurological benefits of mindfulness meditation. Apollo Medicine, 14(4), 198–. You can also find wellness resources @Student Wellness | (uoguelph.ca) !
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