Slow down the frenzied speed of your life intentionally. Here are 4 ways to bring mindfulness into your daily routine.

Life speeds by at a rapid pace. If you’re not prepared for it, you’ll feel overwhelmed. That’s why it’s important to work mindfulness into your day in as many ways as possible. By slowing down the speed of life, you’re able to focus on what matters and listen to the voice inside you speaking. It gives you a greater understanding of why you choose to do what you do and thoughts on ways to improve your current situation, whatever that may be.

Here are four ways to bring mindfulness into your daily routine:

Through meditation.

Even five minutes of complete silence can significantly change your perspective. Make it a point to practice meditation daily. Do it while waiting in your car for your children to leave school, before climbing onto your yoga mat to do your sun salutations, and before an important meeting where you’re the presenter. Pay attention to your thoughts but don’t try to change them. Instead, be in the moment which is what meditation is all about.

By focusing on your breath.

People, by habit, are shallow breathers. They’re unable to get the full benefit from the oxygen they breathe because they aren’t filling their lungs with it. Make it a point to focus on your breath. Take a deep breath, hold it, and then release it until you feel like there is no air left in your abdomen.

With a journal.

Journaling has noted health benefits from lowering your blood pressure to helping you creatively problem solve. Best of all, it’s free, easily accessible, and very gratifying. You don’t need fancy tools or equipment. All you need is a notebook and writing instrument or a journaling app that you download to your phone or tablet.

Through drawing, painting or photography.

Finding a creative means to express yourself allows you to practice mindfulness in a new and exciting way. In addition to getting you to focus on the details, drawing, painting, and photography provide you with an outlet for creativity as well as a possible side income. Instead of rushing through your environment, take time to notice and draw inspiration from it. You’ll be deeply satisfied on an intellectual, emotional, and spiritual level.

Bring yourself back to center by paying attention to the way your body responds to certain stimuli such as the environment you’re in, the people you’re around, and even the lifestyle habits you engage in. Take a deep breath and allow the soothing scent of your favorite essential oils transform how you feel immediately. With Bioesse Tech’s Aromatherapy Inhalation Patches, you have instant relief at your fingertips. Easy-to-apply and portable, they offer long-lasting results for up to eight hours at a time.