Why Mindfulness is Key to Getting Through Quarantine
The world is in a crisis.
COVID-19, now being described as a beast, is taking over in ways we could never imagine. Not only is it stealing lives, but it is also robbing people of jobs, and for a lot of us, freedom. The whole situation is incredibly devastating, and many of us stuck at home are wondering how to continue living our lives without letting the pandemic take over that too.
There are a lot of ways to do this, but one key method I recommend is practicing mindfulness. Being mindful is not just beneficial for improving your overall emotional and physical well-being, it’s also highly effective to get through stressful situations, such as the one we are facing now.
Mindfulness — The Practice of Being Present 🙏
Mindfulness, according to Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusets medical school, is paying attention to the present moment. By being mindful, you are bringing all your thoughts to where you are, right now, at this moment in time. You accept the present without having any judgment.
Our Minds Are Always Occupied
We spend so much time thinking about the past or the future, that we forget what it means to be truly present. Kabat-Zinn says this is because we are never satisfied with where we are now. We are always longing for a moment in time that is supposedly better than our current situation. As a result, we rarely get to experience life through a clear lens, unblurred by our clouded minds.
Let’s take the current situation as an example. Many of us constantly look forward to a future that we believe will be much happier and brighter than the present moment. We put so much trust in the belief that somewhere, sometime in the near future, our lives will be better.
That was no different last year. We were all preparing for a fresh start for this new decade, excited about what it could bring. Instead, we got hit. Hard. The truth is, we really don’t know what will happen for sure. We can’t predict what the future holds.
No one knew what was coming for the year 2020. No one predicted that COVID-19 could have such a disastrous effect on our every day lives. But we’re here now, aren’t we?
Right now, the news and social media are flooded with news on COVID-19, and it’s really stressful.
This situation is taking a huge emotional toll on so many people across the globe. This is why it is so important to engage in mindfulness and be present. By being mindful, you are able to accept your current situation and experience, both positive and negative.
What Mindfulness Can Do For You In The Current Situation ⚡
Practicing mindfulness has so many benefits that will help you improve both your physical and mental health, as well as your overall well-being. However, I want to focus more on the mental aspects.
The amount of stress and anxiety nowadays has skyrocketed because of COVID-19. People are constantly waking up to new numbers and negative news. You can’t turn on the TV without hearing about how the disease is negatively affecting the entire world.
To make it worse, we’re all stuck inside our houses. We can’t go out because of the dangers associated with it. A lot of stress to build up when you’re inside your home for such long periods of time. This is where mindfulness can help you.
Being mindful is very helpful when you’re in a stressful situation (aka, right now). In one particular study, researchers assigned participants to an eight-week mindfulness group and then compared them to others who were not assigned this. They measured their neural activity through an fMRI and found that the group who had been practicing mindfulness had way less stress, anxiety, and depression overall.
Additionally, mindfulness decreases your emotional reactivity. What this means is that you are more in control of your emotions and will still be able to focus even after you go through or see something that is emotionally upsetting. (Hint, hint!)
How, you ask? Let’s go through a quick science lesson.
In your brain, there is this mass called the amygdala. It’s what receives all the messages from our senses and internal organs. Essentially, it’s in charge of our emotions.
When you practice mindfulness, research has shown that the grey matter around the amygdala can become smaller. The removal of this grey matter actually helps reduce your stress and increase your focus. Overall, your clarity improves and you can continue with your normal tasks without being too affected by external events. This is why it’s so beneficial to practice mindfulness, especially now while everything’s out of whack.
Taking Your First Steps Towards Mindfulness 🤗
Now that you understand the benefits, you can tap deep within your mind to become more mindful with these simple methods:
🔑 Meditation
I know you may not want to hear this because it’s literally everywhere, but one of the best ways to practice mindfulness is to meditate. It’s so incredibly helpful, especially when you’re trying to improve your focus.
Take it from me. I literally hate meditating. I dislike it so much that before every meditating session I rant to the closest person to me about how much I hate it.
But I do it anyway.
I understand the benefits, and I know how much it helps me. After the gruesome ten minutes of breathing in and out are over, I feel so much more focused and ready for the day. My mind is much clearer, and I find that I have a better time focusing on my work throughout the day.
Some helpful tips for starting:
- Find a video on YouTube. You can find a lot of really helpful videos online that have guided meditations and will give you a good start/end to your day. There’s a lot out there to explore!
- Be patient. This is something I’m still working on. You need to be really patient and let yourself become present and more focused inwards.
- Temporarily let go of your emotions. Meditation is great with helping release emotions, especially negative ones. So really just close your eyes, breathe in and out, and clear your mind. It will be extremely helpful in this current situation.
After all this, you’ll feel much better!
🔑 Practice Presence
This one is honestly a little bit difficult at first, but the more you do it, the better you get at it. One of the best ways to do this is to focus your mind on your current state. How are you feeling, really? Come to terms with your emotions and fully understand yourself rather than simply turning away.
When you have a good grasp of your current self, you can make better decisions on what to do and how to feel better. So take a second to understand your emotions, and let them go.
Mindfulness Will Get You Through Quarantine
If you or someone you know is feeling really stressed, at this time, I get it. It can be really hard to focus and get things done when everything around you seems to be crumbling apart at the seams. This is why I really recommend practicing mindfulness. Not only will you be significantly less stressed, but you will also be able to find peace and clarity — both of which are important in these times.
🔑 Key Takeaways
- Our minds are always pre-occupied with thoughts, and this can affect us when unexpected events appear.
- Being mindful can help relieve your stress, anxiety, and increase focus and clarity.
- The best ways to practice mindfulness include meditation and practicing presence.
Before you leave…
Did you enjoy this article? Would you like to see more from me?
