[ Guide ]

Cultivating Mindfulness

Particularly when practised regularly, mindfulness has been associated with increased parasympathetic tone and executive function, and can also help in developing the ability to sustain focused attention.[1,2,3]

Mindfulness practices can take many forms. You can be mindful doing literally anything: eating your food, taking a shower, doing the washing up or scrubbing before an operation, or you can cultivate specific mindfulness practices, see below.

For more information on mindfulness, I really enjoyed this article.

[1] Jerath R et al. Front Hum Neurosci. 2012;6:1-4

[2] Lebares CC et al. Ann Surg. 2021;273(3):424-32

[3] Semple RJ. Mindfulness 2010;1:121-30

[ Interventions ]

Take the next step

Practical approaches and recommended resources for you to explore

Brain illustration supporting this intervention

Mindfulness on the move

You can be mindful doing literally anything. Here are some prompts for being mindful, whatever you're up to.

Ear illustration supporting this intervention

Seated mindfulness meditation

Seated or lying mindfulness meditation can be a good place to start with mindfulness practice. Find out more here...

Eye illustration supporting this intervention

Mindful breathwork

Consciously modifying our breath is a powerful way to modify our autonomic state, and also lends itself to mindfulness practice. Find links here.

Face illustration supporting this intervention

Other guided mindfulness resources

Other activities which lend themselves to mindfulness practice include body scans, non-sleep deep rest and breathwork. I have attached some links and descriptions, below

Resource Lucky Dip

A selection of resources from the Cultivating Mindfulness guide

Explore all resources in Cultivating Mindfulness →

Muse meditation headband

A smartheadband that shows brain activity to optimise meditation and sleep

Brain activity tracking Meditation Trackers (body-worn)

Day One app

A journalling app with photo, video, voice and journalling entry

Alternative to looking at a screen Gratitude Journalling Sleep Ways to wind down

Wherever you go, there you are (book, audiobook)

Jon-Kabat Zinn's book on integrating Mindfulness to our everyday lives

Audiobooks Books Meditation Mindfulness

10 Minute Body Scan

A mindfulness-based body scan where you will progressively direct your attention throughout the body

Mindfulness

The Tao of Pooh (book, audiobook)

An introduction to taoism, based on the story of Winnie the Pooh

Audiobooks Books Mindfulness

Fancy a takeaway? Impostor Phenomenon

An exercise to try at home, to create space for impostor feelings and thoughts, and do what you want to anyway.

Fancy a takeaway? Impostor phenomenon Mindfulness Self-compassion

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