Engaging in mindfulness exercises each day can help reduce stress and increase your performance on certain tasks. But nowadays, individuals are feeling pressured to start this practice without acquiring an understanding of what mindfulness exercises are and how to engage in the process. Simply stated, mindfulness is really just paying attention. It is bringing the focus into the present and developing a sense of nowness. You don’t have to engage in a 60-, 30-, or even 20-minute practice of mindfulness exercises each day in order to reap the benefits. Simple techniques throughout the day can help you become more present.

Mindfulness is particularly important when you're a goal-oriented person—when you invest in thinking about what you want to achieve in the future. This is good stuff, but the problem is that you can't make your way toward the goal unless you spend time working toward it in the present moment. This is where being present is not only important, but necessary.

Mindfulness is paying attention. That's basically what mindfulness is.

Mindfulness Exercises: Lessons

• Mindfulness helps reduce stress, increases your performance on tasks, and keeps you focused on the present rather than always existing in the future.
• Try not to become overwhelmed by the idea of mindfulness. You don’t need to be a yogi, meditate daily, own a candle, or enjoy soft music to meditate.
• A simple technique to help bring you into the present and engage mindfully is called 5, 5, and 5. In your head, name the following:
  1. Five things you can see.
  2. Five things you can hear.
  3. Five things you can touch.

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