Staying present in the moment can be frustrating. It’s not always easy to still your chaotic thoughts and bring yourself back to the moment. But if you manage to do this, you’ll be more aware of and immersed in your life. You’ll also reduce your stress. If you’re always focusing on the past or future, there are some effective things you can do to live in the present moment right now. Here are 13 effective tips to help ground yourself.
1. Lose The Clock.
You’re always checking the watch on your wrist so you get to wherever you have to be on time, but it’s always making you focus on the future. It’s incredibly stressful. Lose yourself in a fun activity or hobby where you can also lose track of time. When you do this, your mind becomes calm and you feel pretty zen, which is awesome.
2. Do Some Grounding.
Grounding is when you, as its name suggests, ground yourself into the moment by focusing on your senses and environment. An easy technique is to notice things around you that you can see, hear, smell, touch, and taste. FYI, engaging your senses is also a handy exercise to help you reduce feelings of anxiety during a panic attack.
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4. Give One Task Your Full Attention.
We’re always busy juggling tons of tasks, but that keeps us stressed and prevents us from noticing the present moment because we’re in a state of chaos. Woah, slow down! Focus on one task and give it your full attention. Be fully in it and see how much more you get done. Hint: it’s a lot. This is super affective in helping you live in the present, and the more you do it, the easier it gets.
5. Switch To A Fun Activity.
Sometimes, it’s hard to focus on the present moment because you’re bored doing something you don’t want to do. For five or 10 minutes, switch to a fun activity. This could be something spontaneous, like running through a rainstorm or walking barefoot on a beach. Doing something fun and different helps to ground you in the moment, plus it zaps boredom.
6. Notice Time-Traveling Thoughts.
Sometimes our brain floods us with thoughts of the future or past, which makes us miss out on the present moment. Notice when these thoughts enter your brain and allow them to go away, such as by bringing your attention back to something else you’re busy with in the moment, whether that’s a conversation with your friend or an art session. Don’t judge the thoughts, just let ’em go.
7. Quickly Count Some Blessings.
Gratefulness is a great restart button when your thoughts are stuck in a loop or you’re stuck in your head instead of focusing on the moment. Stop and think about some things you’re grateful for RN. This appreciation helps you to become more aware of what you have so you stop focusing on what you don’t have.
8. Find Something Positive In What You Dislike.
If you’re stuck in a boring job that you dread, it’s easy to get caught up in negativity. Although it’s hard sometimes, try to find something that you’re happy/positive about. It can be something small, like having a fun chat with your co-workers or getting a chance to help customers. Heck, it might even be sipping delicious coffee during your lunch break. When you focus on positive things, you’ll find new ones to enjoy throughout your day.
9. Bolt Into Nature.
When you’re getting stuck in your head or feeling anxious, which steals you from the present moment, head into nature. Take a quick stroll through the park or around your garden. Seeing the beautiful trees and feeling the sunshine on your face can help you to relax and slow down. You’ll feel refreshed after a five-minute session that puts things into perspective.
10. Or, Look Out A Window.
If you can’t get away for some time in nature, run to the nearest window and have a look outside. There’s a whole world rushing past you. See the cars whizzing past and the gorgeous trees in the distance, or people-watch. Doing this can be a way to relax and slow down your thoughts so you can focus on the moment. It also helps you to remember that there’s a world out there, so your problems don’t have to stifle you. This can help ground you in the present moment so you can try and live in the here and now.
11. Do A Yoga Sesh.
A session of yoga can help you to center yourself. This is because yoga involves mindful movement, just like other types of exercise like tai chi and pilates. It helps you to get out of your head and focus on your body, breath, and sensations that come up. So, when you have a few minutes, whip out your yoga mat and do some poses.
12. Do Some Free Writing.
Grab a journal and start writing the thoughts that come to mind. Scribble down whatever pops into your head and don’t make any judgments about the thoughts. By writing them down, you can slow them down and also deal with reactive emotions before they go AWOL. The bonus of free writing is that you’ll realize negative thought patterns so you can break their harmful cycle.
13. Stop And Take A Few Breaths.
During a hectic day, when you feel like you’re moving through the hours in a blur, it helps to pause your thoughts and focus on your breathing. This doesn’t have to be complicated. Just count your breaths and concentrate on taking deep ones. There you go, feel how calming that is? How nicely it brings you back into the moment? Awesome.
14. Celebrate Your Daily Victories.
It’s easy to get caught up in the chaos of trying to achieve your future goals, but don’t lose sight of the small daily victories that you achieve, like hitting the gym, eating healthy, and acing a task at work. Just like football players celebrate every goal, even though they’re striving to win the match, you should be celebrating all your own “goals.” This keeps you in the moment and helps you appreciate what you’re doing.
