How to be More Present in Life: 5 Steps
Think about the last time you took a deep breath and said, “Ahhhh, this is the life!”
One of the biggest mistakes you make is letting distractions get the best of you.
Think about the last time you took a deep breath and said, “Ahhhh, this is the life!”
- Were you scrolling through Instagram when you said it?
- Were you buying a new hoodie or pair of Jordans?
- Were you watching TV?
I’d be willing to argue that the answer is no.
Instead, you were likely:
- Watching a sunset
- Going for a walk
- On vacation (creating memories)
- Laughing with your partner
- Playing with your kids and witnessing them accomplish a new feat.
- Or even, trying something new you’ve never done before (skydiving, maybe?)
Whatever it was, you were appreciating the present moment.
Not only that, but you were also soaking in every last drop of it.
The Unfortunate Part
Did a memory come to mind?
If so, how long ago was it?
You see, the unfortunate part is this world comes with so many distractions and we do a horrible job at managing them.
Because of this, it’s likely that the memory that came to your mind was weeks, months, or even years ago.
But what if I told you that it didn’t need to be this way?
That you could experience more this-is-the-life moments (daily even) if you’re willing to make a few minor adjustments.
This is the power that comes with learning how to be more present and it takes mindful practices to make it happen.
“Wherever you are, be there totally.” — Eckhart Tolle
5 Easy Steps to Becoming More Present
1. Focus on Daily Tasks
This means you have to establish the tasks you desire to complete, AKA: Set goals.
Limit it to 3 daily tasks that you commit to completing before you wander to anything else that you’d like to get done.
These 3 goals should be directly aligned with the life you envision creating.
Why just 3? Because that alone means you’re prioritizing your daily tasks. Chances are there are 10 things on your “list” you’d like to get done but we don’t want to turn your daily goals into a to-do list.
A to-do list means you’ll resort to the easy tasks first.
Setting 3 goals means you’ll do the most important tasks first.
Write today’s top 3 tasks and then number them in order from most important to least important and begin your day with number 1.
“You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight.” — Jim Rohn
2. Establish an Evening Mindful Routine
In a culture that glorifies “the hustle” and working 24/7 proper rest is often overlooked.
Slow down.
As an athlete, my coaches used to preach the concept of “slowing the game down”. The game moves so quickly that if you don’t actively “slow down” then you’ll get caught up in unnecessary distractions and miss what needs to happen now.
Life is no different. Slow it down. And doing so, you’ll find yourself understanding the present moment more thoroughly.
Additionally, it allows for deeper relaxation in preparation for a good night's rest.
Do me a favor, try enjoying the present moment when you feel groggy.
It’s damn-near impossible.
Establishing a nighttime routine pays dividends in releasing your mind and getting into a state of relaxation.
Now, it’s up to you to find a nighttime routine that works for you, but here are some recommendations
- Journal
- Meditate
- Focused breathing
- Stretching
If you’d like to watch a little TV, that’s fine. Just be mindful that the type of content you choose to view can either help or hurt your ability to wind down.
No matter what, TV shouldn’t fully replace the mindful routine practices mentioned above. If you’re interested in learning more about TV and it’s effects check out this article, “The Truth About Watching TV Before Bed.”
Practicing mindfulness is your way to slow things down & seize the moment you are given.
“The best way to capture moments is to pay attention. This is how we cultivate mindfulness.” — Jon Kabat-Zinn
3. “Sign off”
When you’re done with work, you’re done.
If you’re like me, throughout the day you have a million ideas come to mind and it’s difficult to clear your mind when you’re done with work.
Before “closing shop” make sure your ideas are written down in your notebook.
This is what I like to call the Write and Release Effect.
Your notebook is the best memory you have.
When you write something down you don’t have to rely on your brain to remember it, allowing for your brain to release it.
Now your mind is less cluttered and better prepared to enjoy the moment.
If you forget the ideas, who cares? It’s written down.
“Instead of thinking I am losing something when I clear clutter, I dwell on what I might gain.”― Lisa J. Shultz
4. Cut Major Distractions After 5 pm
What is it that distracts you most when you should be paying attention to those around you?
Common distractions are:
- An occupied mind, thinking about what you “should do” — which is why #3 is so important.
- Your phone
- TV
- Emails
Whatever it is, cut it.
I say 5 pm because that’s usually when I’m done with work. But for you, it might be anywhere between 3-7 pm.
Set a time and commit to completely cutting these distractions.
Otherwise, you’ll find yourself checking your emails when you could be saying “ahhhh, this is the life!”
Don’t miss it.
“Nothing is more expensive than a missed opportunity.” — H.Jackson Brown JR.
5. Intentional Movement
Movement, of any kind, isn’t just for the body.
In fact, the role it plays on the brain might be even more powerful.
The article, “The Relationship Between Movement and the Brain” states the following:
“Movement supplies brain cells with oxygen, promotes the production of new brain cells, and aids in creating new synapses. In experiments at the University of Illinois, rats that exercised had a greater number of neuron connections than non-exercising rats (Greenough & Anderson, 1991).
Movement triggers the release of a brain-derived neurotrophic factor known as BDNF (Kesslak, Patrick, So, Cotman, & Gomez-Pinilla, 1998). This natural substance enhances cognition by boosting a neuron’s ability to communicate with other neurons. Movement also increases energy, reduces stress, and calms the mind and body.”
In the case of becoming more present, a clear & calm mind is critical.
It is the clustered mind that we need to control.
Begin your day with movement and, if necessary, take brief breaks through the day to go for walks to clear your mind.
Here are some ideas to get you moving:
- Lift weights
- HIIT
- Online/Video classes
- Go for a run
- Walk
- Stretch
- Yoga
- Join a class
- Go for a bike ride
- Jumping jacks
In this case, the most important thing for you is to find something that you
- Enjoy doing.
- Can do every day.
- Isn’t daunting.
It doesn’t need to be an hour-long grueling routine.
In fact, 30 minutes of movement is all you need to experience major mental (and physical) benefits.
“Take a walk outside — it will serve you far more than pacing around in your mind.” — Rasheed Ogunlaru
Reap the Benefits
Applying these steps will result in an immense amount of clarity & less clutter.
Ultimately, allowing you to thrive more in the present.
After all, the present moment is all you have. Might as well do your best to live it.
It’s up to you to decide which of these 5 recommendations you need most.
Unsure where to begin? Trial and error is your best friend.
Pick one and give it a shot.
Pay Attention
Focus heavily on the benefit as opposed to the sacrifice.
Far to often you let the sacrifice overshadow the benefit you receive.
The most important piece in discovering a mindful routine for you is to pay close attention to how you feel and any positive shifts that you experience.
The workout kicked your ass? → How did you feel afterward? How was your productivity and ability to live in the present moment that day?
Cutting distractions is difficult? → What did it allow you to experience that you wouldn’t have experienced otherwise?
Hard to stick to your daily tasks? → Did you feel a sense of accomplishment? How did this affect your typically cluttered mind?
7 MAJOR TAKEAWAYS
- Create more this-is-the-life moments.
- Prioritize and focus on daily tasks.
- Establish a nighttime mindful routine.
- Sign-off → When you’re done, you’re done.
- Set a time to cut all major distractions.
- Daily intentional movement.
- Pay attention → Focus heavily on the benefits, not the sacrifice.
Take a deep breath and say it with me, “Ahhh, this is the life.”
I’m excited for you!
Think + Write + Discover + Be
Dallen
P.S. If you enjoyed this article, you’ll love 30 Lessons Learned from Writing for 30 Straight Days. (Hint: It’s not only about writing)
