6 Tips for More Presence and Less Distraction

Take a moment to focus your attention on each of your 5 senses. Sight. Smell. Touch. Sound. Taste. We have so much information and visuals presented to us every hour through our computers, TV, and our phones that we become distracted and less attentive. Mr. Rogers is a snooze-fest compared to children's shows with so many BRIGHT colors, and CATCHY songs.

We are constantly being stimulated in some way. The more exposure we have, the more and more we crave...or need. To bring this into context with our physical health; if you were having flavored water or soda daily, you may become accustomed to that sweetness. Water, once satisfying could be perceived as "plain".

Think about how often you might be watching TV...while scrolling through your phone...while also eating. I am completely guilty of doing this. It's like a little voice in our head keeps yelling: MUST. SPLIT. ATTENTION. AS. MUCH. AS. POSSIBLE.

This is not because you have no willpower or are doing something wrong. It's simply what has happened over time with improved technology, increased access to certain foods and ingredients...etc. There's an associated pleasure with things like Instagram, Netflix, loud music, ice cream...there's a reason we like these things so why not all at once!

So what to do!? First we can try to set certain boundaries. Not using electronics at least an hour before bed, choosing just 1 form of social media, limit TV to just 1 hour a night....etc. Boundaries are important but there's also a lot of this excess stimulation that is hard to avoid. This is why the practice of mindfulness is almost essential in maintaining our mental health and in turn, our physical health.

Mindfulness is: awareness. of the present moment. without judgement. It is full engagement. Your attention is completely engulfed in the activity that you are doing, your body, your surroundings. We are at a point that our lifestyles require us to PRACTICE mindfulness. Just as we have to take the time to move our body for exercise, we need to take the time to train that mindfulness "muscle". The more we practice, the stronger it becomes. The stronger it becomes, the more it permeates various areas of our life.

We can practice through a variety of ways. Here's a few ideas:

1. Regularly make time for your favorite hobby. Whatever activity stimulates you and naturally engages you. Any way you can express yourself and be creative. (hint: cooking counts)

2. Meditate. Meditation can seem intimidating but it can be as simple as sitting comfortably while breathing deeply. Try out a recorded, guided meditation.

3. Yoga. Most forms of physical activity are engaging. Yoga is specifically designed for it. The focus on the breath is what cultivates better attention and a mindful experience.

4. Get out in nature but without distractions. Hike, swim, watch the birds. Being outside sets the perfect scene for a mindful moment.

5. Listen to your favorite song, while doing nothing else.

6. Eat at the TABLE. If you are a client, I've likely talked about this with you :) Eating without distraction as often as you can is fundamental in having a healthy relationship with food.

Think about your own lifestyle and routines. Do you feel like your multi-tasking a lot of the time? How could you incorporate engaging, mindful activities throughout your week? I can promise you it can improve your attention, energy and stress levels, even giving you better sleep. It can also show up in your physical health. This idea is very much intertwined with our food choices, our relationship with food, and how we connect with our body.

Be well-

Rachel