Mindful actions for home in 24 hours

We all have a propensity to living our lives on a daily basis both internally and externally. By that, I mean we go about our external daily routines from the moment we wake up to the moment we go to sleep at night, but how much time is spent in our own internal world? Listening to the chatter of our thoughts asking or reminding us about things we have done in our past and the things we need to do in the future. We could be on top of the moors in beautiful open countryside, having a nice meal in a restaurant, or generally engaging in an activity that is supposed to relax us, yet actively listening to our thoughts and completely missing the moment – the here and now. We can also however experience mindful activity within our own home, giving our full attention to routines normally taken for granted and without close observation.

Research has consistently suggested that by allowing ourselves freedom from our internal chatter (especially negative thoughts) by focusing on the present, we allow a sense of respite and liberation from our own internal negative chatter.

Remember, John Lennon famously said "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

Here are seven tips to engaging in mindful activity at home in 24 hours:

• Opening the curtains in the morning – What does the weather look like? How does it feel? What noises can you hear – birds? cars? What can you see? What are people doing?
• Getting dressed – How do our clothes look, feel, smell? How does our body feel whilst getting ready?
• Having our breakfast - How does it look, taste, smell, and feel? What is it about the texture? How does the cutlery feel? What does the chair you’re sitting on feel like? How do your feet feel on the floor, your elbows on the table?
• Brushing our teeth – What does the toothpaste look, smell, and feel like on your toothbrush and your teeth and gums? How does it feel before and after brushing? What does the running water sound like?
• Sounds within the home – Can you hear the clock ticking? The kettle boiling? The stairs creaking? What do your footsteps feel and sound like?
• Reading a book, watching a specific television programme, or listening to music - Are you completely focused on the dialogue, the vision, the sounds and meaning?
• Having a conversation – Are you fully engaged in what the other person is saying? Are you completely focused and actively listening? How does your/their voice sound? How are you/they sitting/standing – what does it feel like?