THE DIGITAL IMPACTS ON MINDFULNESS

Good evening SCS!

Welcome to my first blog entry. Mental and physical health has become noticeably more important to me since the start of my studies at University, so I’m excited for you all to be involved in constructing the blocks for improved wellbeing.

First and foremost; please take a moment to read the information on my About page. This will give you a better understanding about what’s in store for our journey and also provides you with my background, experiences and importantly- my intentions!

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE MINDFUL?

The ‘Mindful’ organisation, says that as humans we have a basic ability to be present. However, although the practising of mindfulness is intrinsic to human life, it’s important in this Digital Age for us to make a conscious effort to practice certain activities. This could involve focusing on vibrations in our bodies, such as breathing exercises, or tuning in to our environment by diverting our thoughts to our five senses: sight, smell, sound, taste, touch and the sensations these gives us.

WHEN DID MINDFULNESS BECOME A SUBCONSCIOUS CHALLENGE?

The rise of digital technology and the vast number of social media apps available to us, leads me to suggest that the increasingly interconnected nature of society is having an impact on our natural ability to be present.

Over time, Western society has become a civilisation of ‘multi-taskers’. It is hard to ignore the many distractions we are exposed to, and sometimes it can feel impossible to detach ourselves from the continuous online updates. Traditional communication processes have drastically changed, especially since the early 2000’s.

The launch of Facebook in 2003 and the birth of the IPhone in 2007 are most significant in my opinion, as I feel conversation has become more impersonal and the richness of face to face conversation has been lost. Do you ever realise those moments when you’ve been in a group social situation, and you’ve completely zoned out because you’re on your phone, or spent the last hour ‘trying’ to sleep when in fact you’re endlessly scrolling through your Instagram or twitter feed? I believe If we don’t make a conscious effort into putting our technology aside, we could be at risk of losing self-awareness and have little connection with our present emotions.

But, it isn’t all doom and gloom!  As the ‘Mindful’ Organisation have stated, mindfulness doesn’t require us to radically change our lives, it’s purely about incorporating it into our routines in order to live a healthier, happy life and to see our relationships blossom.

THE 5 MINDFUL MECHANISMS

There must be a couple of you thinking ‘I have absolutely no idea what she’s talking about’.  And I used to feel exactly the same! Consider it as a form of meditation. Although don’t let this cloud your judgement, as it can be done by anyone and anywhere!  This first step gives us the opportunity to become more emotionally stable, reduce anxiety or low mood, increasing a positive mindset as a result.  I recently stumbled across ‘Positive Psychology’ by Bridget Grenville-Cleave, I would highly recommend reading this as she enlightened me (simply and clearly) of the many ways we can adapt mindfulness to our stressful day to day lives. The chapters are short and the content ties in very well with my wellbeing building blocks!

Grenville-Cleave’s concept of ‘sitting mindfully’ is something I’ve learnt to incorporate in study breaks or particularly when I need to switch off, so I hope you find this useful:

1.       Find a quiet space, inside or outside. Sit up straight, shut your eyes and tune into your surroundings: breathe in through your nose for 5 seconds and out of your mouth for 5.

2.       As you breathe, pay attention to any sounds you can hear and their ‘quality, pace and tone’.

3.       Notice different smells.

4.       What does your body feel like? Are you warm or cold? How relaxed are you- is there a need to release tension?

5.       Concentrate on your breathing, how deep or short your breaths are. Embrace a few moments of pure relaxation. Finally, inhale deeply, stretch your muscles and now open your eyes.

I’ve found this book super useful during this busy holiday period. As we all know, it’s meant to be ‘the most wonderful time, of the year’ but many people struggle to balance work, social and home life. Don’t feel guilty for taking time out for yourselves every now and then, as your mental health is just as important as your physical health!

I hope you can consider using this technique at times of heightened stress or worry. Remember, distracting thoughts will often arise but it’s more important to acknowledging them and try to refocus on the sensations your body is feeling. Understand the past and future cannot possibly disturb you: you are fully in control of the present moment.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

All The Love,

Your Self-Care Sister

x

Credits

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