What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the awareness that arises when we pay attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment and without judgement (Phan et al., 2022).

‘Practicing’ mindfulness typically involves some form of meditation.

Practicing mindfulness can help people improve their health, wellbeing, resilience and ability to focus as well as promote their sense of self-awareness and acceptance.

To find out more, you can read a study on Mindfulness-Based School Intervention here.

Other forms of meditation

Minfulness can take many different forms. We asked the Future Quest team how they bring mindful moments into their day

• Sian does Gardening to be Mindful

  "My ADHD means my thoughts are often very chaotic and I find it difficult to sit still and focus so I used to think Mindfulness was not for me. But Mindfulness doesn't just have to be sitting quiet, still and focusing on your breathing. I am really lucky to have an allotment where I go to most days. At my allotment I feel really peaceful and calm and am able to be present. There is always something to do such as watering my plants, repotting seedlings, or weeding. I am engaged with all my senses and feel connected to the world around me in these moments" 

• Chloe Cooks for Peace

  "Because I am autistic, I can struggle with sensory overload. When I'm cooking I am able to provide a singular focus for my senses. Simply considering all the textures, smells, tastes and sounds can act as a form of meditation. Being able to harness all my senses means that cooking is both a creative and grounding process for me." 

• Ali Walks His Dog to Switch Off

  "For me, my mindfulness time is walking my dog. Its an opportunity to be away from screens and not be distracted by the news or social media. Not only does it get me out of the house, but it gets me exploring new places or new routes that are interesting for both me and my dog. Whilst walking my dog i have had many 'lightbulb moments' as ive thought through ideas or about how my day has gone - but equally its nice to switch off my thoughts completely and enjoy nature."

• Sarah Does Improv Acting for Escapism

  "I have recently joined an improv (improvisation) group for a bit of escapism from daily life. It sounds scary, but it is actually a good way to ease stress and boost your confidence by playing acting and word games and generally doing things you wouldn't normally do - all in a supportive setting." 

What are the benefits of mindfulness?

•You don’t need to sit with your legs crossed for hours to practice mindfulness. You can cultivate it through standing, walking and moving meditation, through short pauses in your day and merging practice with other activities like sport and music.

•When we are mindful, we reduce our stress, enhance our performance, gain insight and acceptance through observing our own mind.

•Mindfulness can be helpful when we going through stressful times in our lives. We all have stressful moments, whether that's exams or other upcoming challenges, where implenting some kind coping strategy can help us manage the situation. Maybe mindfulness could work for you?

Are there any downsides to mindfulness?

•Mindfulness practice may cause you to over-exert yourself. It can take time, effort and practice, which can be hard to find when you have a busy schedule.

•Mindfulness may cause you to feel frustrated. You need to be non-judgmental, non-reactive and fully present in the here-and-now at all times. Not mastering this straight away can become frustrating.

•Mindfulness may cause you to experience depersonalisation, a state in which one’s thoughts and feelings seem unreal or not belong to oneself. In such rare cases, the individual can lose their sense of self and that can be quite a bleak feeling.

A quick 5-minutes of mindfulness

•1. Take a seat – find a position where you feel stable and comfortable.

•2. Be comfortable - If you're sat on the floor, cross your legs comfortably. If you're on a chair, have the bottom of your feet touching the floor.

•3. Straighten, don't stiffen, your upper body – Your head and shoulders should be in a position where they rest comfortably on top of your spine.

•4. Let your hands drop onto the top of your legs with your upper arms at your sides.

•5.  Drop your chin a little and let your gaze fall gently downwards. Your eyelids may lower, and they can close completely if you’d like.

•6. Be there for a few moments. Relax. Draw your attention from the external environment inwards. Pay attention to your breath or the sensations in your body.

•7. After a few moments gradually bring yourself back into the room. Now go about your day. When you need to practice mindfulness again, just repeat these steps.

•8.  Perfect – Practicing mindfulness can be simple but not necessarily easy. Keep doing it and the results will come.

Change in Action

Showing that you care about driving positive change is key to any successful healthcare application or interview. Share your thoughts on this issue and have a go at planning out how you would put change in action.