If you’re like me, you probably feel like your brain NEVER shuts off. If I had to guess, this is a pretty common experience among entrepreneurs. How can we take a minute to stop when we have 5 million things on our daily to-do list? But I’m here to tell you, if you allow yourself to take a beat and incorporate mindfulness into your daily routine, you’ll see major improvements in your stress levels. And, even better, you’ll be able to tackle those to-do’s with intention.

So, What is Mindfulness?

The concept of mindfulness is super simple, and it’s something that can benefit errrbody. Essentially, mindfulness is the awareness that you have about the present moment. When you’re practicing mindfulness, you’re not thinking about something that happened yesterday, and not worrying about the future. You’re 100 percent focused on the here and now. The part about mindfulness that really helps with relieving stress and anxiety is that you calmly acknowledge your thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations. You have the power to acknowledge and accept without assigning any sort of meaning to what you’re feeling.

Exercise #1: Create a Morning Routine

First thing in the morning can feel like go, go, go and that doesn’t exactly set you up for success. When you wake up and have to jump into action right away, your day gets off to a hectic start and can contribute to feeling more stressed. If you create a healthy, intentional morning routine (and stick to it) it has the ability to completely change how you feel throughout the day.

Some good ways to create a mindful morning routine are to think about things that would make you feel relaxed as you start your day. Do you like to shower first thing when you wake up? Or would you prefer to make a cup of coffee and journal? While you’re going through your routine each day, make an effort to quiet your mind and not worry about everything you have to get done. Just enjoy what you’re doing in the present moment, and focus on how you’re feeling. It’s a sure way to get your day off to a good start.

Exercise #2: Unplug

When I say unplug, I want you to eliminate distraction and sit with your feelings. When you’re running a business, I know that can feel like an impossible task. But it’s not! You deserve moments of peace, and the only way you’re going to get them is if you decide to turn it off. Step away from the computer, silence your phone, and turn off the TV. Now, am I saying that you need to do this for the whole day? Heck no! But incorporating even 15 minutes of unplugged time in your day will make a difference. If you’re prone to stress and anxiety, I’m sure that this exercise is all the more difficult. And why is that? Well, when your mind is anxious it looks for a distraction so you don’t have to focus on those negative feelings. By practicing mindfulness, you’ll have the freedom to acknowledge those anxieties and allow them to pass without getting attached to them. I know that it might be difficult at first, but with practice you’ll get better at it and these quiet moments will start to help you feel more grounded and calm.

Exercise #3: Practice Gratitude

I’m sure you’ve probably seen people talking about gratitude lately and for good reason! Practicing gratitude in your daily life not only helps you become more mindful, but it can totally change your overall outlook on life. Having a fresh perspective can do amazing things and it can help you stay calm throughout your day. To do this, all you need to do is think about things in your life that you’re grateful for. Try to name 3 things every day, and then once you’re in the habit try naming 5 things. If you’re the type of person that benefits from prompts, you might want to try The Five Minute Journal. It will help you get into practicing gratitude every day, and you will be prompted with questions to keep you on track. Get it here.

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Once you start incorporating these exercises into your daily life, I know you’ll feel a difference in your overall mindset! The challenge is to keep doing them, day in and day out, until it becomes a habit. I know you can do it!

If you try these exercises, let me know how it goes in the comments. I’d love to hear about how mindfulness helps your business and life in general.

Until next time, friends!