15 Mindfulness Activities to Reduce Stress and Increase Calm

This game is simpler than Eye Spy and yet it can be a powerful tool to curb spiraling thoughts.

First, look around you and name three things you can hear, then two things you can see, and finally one sensation that you feel.

"By doing this, you are grounding yourself by increasing your awareness of your body and your environment," says Martinez.

Before you open up your laptop and begin your usual grind, take a few moments to center yourself.

"Setting aside a little time in the morning to set intentions helps you start the day with a clear mind," says Shirin Eskandani, mindset coach and founder of Wholehearted Coaching. "This can include journaling, movement, reading, or meditation. Be flexible and do what feels best."

For specific examples, you can start with yoga and notice what your body needs in that moment, or read an uplifting book to set a positive tone for the day.

If you find that you are more of an night owl than an early bird, forming your own morning practice can feel difficult. In that case, find time in the afternoon or the evening to settle your mind. All you need is 10 minutes, says Eskandani.

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The quality of our breathing tells us a lot about where our headspace is at. Chances are, if you're feeling a bit anxious, your breath may feel short, shallow, or constrained. So one simple way to relieve stress is to practice deep breathing through the diaphragm.

"Taking long, deep breaths when feeling cluttered, distracted, or ungrounded begins to relax the nervous system and draws the attention to the present moment, which in turn promotes a feeling of intimacy with the body, with the earth, and with the natural spaciousness that is inherent in each moment," says Randhawa.

If you're new to deep breathing exercises, Eskandani suggests the four count method. Breathe in for four seconds, then breathe out for four seconds. Repeat this five times.

This is a great activity to do with your kids, says Sarah Rudell Beach, a Mindful Schools Certified Instructor and Coordinator of Course Development at Mindful Schools. But real talk: if you want to get silly with your roomies, have at it! Let yourself go.

In this game you and your kid (or friend), wiggle, bounce around, or dance until you say "Freeze!"

"Then everyone freezes and takes a moment to notice what they can feel in their body — perhaps movement, tingling, heat, shaking, buzzing, or something else," says Beach. "You can repeat it as many times as you’d like! It’s a fun way to move around, and to start cultivating a greater awareness of bodily sensations, which is a core component of mindfulness practice.'"

Light your favorite candle, sit comfortably, and watch the flame sway and flicker. "This is actually a form of meditation," says Martinez. Gaze at candle for five to 10 minutes and let your mind wander, she says. Observe your thoughts. Let them pass without judgement.

If you love drinking tea every day, why not try drinking it a little bit slower? Better yet, try drawing you attention to the sensations, smells, or sounds you observe from the moment you start brewing to the moment you finish your cup.

"Notice how it feels to make the tea, the color of the tea leaves, the sound of the kettle, the shape of the mug, the scent that arises, what the tea tastes like, and how it feels in the body as you make and drink the tea," says Randhawa. "Invite yourself to meet the activity with an embodied presence by noticing sensations that arise as you drink the tea and how often the mind wanders. Then with compassionate awareness, gently bring the mind back to the tea, back to the body, resting it in the present moment."

If you're more of a coffee person, you can perform this practice in the same manner. In fact, you can bring this sort of mindfulness to any activity.

When it comes to mealtime, many of us scarf down our food while watching TV, scrolling on our phones, or typing on our computers. Since we're distracted, sometimes we eat our food too fast, increasing the risk of overeating, indigestion, bloating, and gas. That's a recipe for crankiness and irritability.

So here's a challenge for you: try to eat a strawberry as slow as possible. "To begin, aim for 30 seconds to a minute," says Martinez. Notice the taste, the texture, any scent.

This can be done with any morsel of food and it can help you slow down when you're eating a meal.

After you wake up in the morning or before you go to bed at night, write five to 10 things that you are grateful for.

"Gratitude lists are the quickest way to ground yourself in difficult times because they help you focus on what is working," says Eskandani. "The trick, though, is to get specific. So instead of just writing down 'I am grateful for family,' try: 'I am grateful for the zoom call I had with my parents and sister last night.'"

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This activity is awesome to do with your child or even by yourself. You can also combine this with any deep breathing techniques.

If you're doing this with your kid, invite them to breathe with you. Ask them: Can they feel their breath in their nose? In their chest or belly? Can they hear their breath?

"Your child can place their hand on their chest and notice how it moves up and down as they breathe," says Beach. "I find it helpful to ask kids to count their breaths. For example, 'Breathing in, one. Breathing out, two,' and so on. After spending a few moments paying attention to breathing, ask your child how they feel — calm, tired, bored, relaxed, or something else. Let your child know that however they feel, it’s okay! The point of mindfulness is not necessarily feeling a particular way, but simply paying attention to how we are feeling in any given moment."

For many, the word "meditation" can feel intimidating. But instead of thinking about mastering meditation, think about practicing stillness.

This can be as simple as focusing on your breath, a mantra (if you have one you like), or an image. You can do this for five minutes, 20 minutes, or however long you choose to be still.

"This single-pointed concentration technique invites the mind to settle while taking note of our inner dialogue," says Randhawa.

Don't worry if you cannot keep your focus the whole time, she adds. "Every time the mind wanders off, notice the activity and gently redirect the attention back toward the primary object."

If you need a little more guidance, there are great meditation apps and videos on YouTube that can help you along.

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If you have a chime or a bell, ring it once and observe the moment you can't hear the sound anymore.

"You can do this with your family or a group of friends," says Martinez. "Have each person raise their hand when they lose the sound. You might find that everyone's hearing is different."

If you don't have chime, you can use another musical instrument. Or you can find a sound on the internet.

Take a few minutes to sit silently and observe your current mental state and all of the emotions that exist for you right now. Note which thoughts arise.

"When done with skill and proper guidance from an app or a teacher, this can strengthen one’s knowing of oneself," says Randhawa. "By asking ourselves 'What do I feel?' instead of 'Why do I feel X?' we develop a stronger curiosity about the self and our ongoing mental experience without falling into rumination."

First thing after you wake, grab your journal and jot down three pages of anything that comes of mind. It doesn't have to be creative or beautiful. It doesn't have to be mind-blowing or even make sense. This a stream-of-consciousness exercise meant to clear your mind.

"Just let it flow," says Martinez. "Doing this exercise regularly can help you release and process what is happening mentally."

This exercise comes from Julia Cameron Live's The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path To Higher Creativity.

This is another exercise you can do with your kids. It's very similar to "The Name Game" except this time, invite your little ones "to put on their listening ears" like they are putting on imaginary headphones. Ask them to identify 10 sounds that they can hear.

You can prompt them by asking: "Can hear sounds from inside your body? Inside the room? Outside the house? Do you notice some sounds more than others?"

"At Mindful Schools, we find that this is a helpful practice for children when they are feeling overwhelmed," says Beach. "It’s a powerful way to gently shift their attention from something that is
frustrating to something that is more neutral, like sound."

When you are feeling a bit jittery, try placing your feet flat on the floor, whether you are sitting or standing, says Martinez. Breathe in for four seconds then count out for four. Repeat this three to five times.

You can also practice grounding yourself in your feet by paying attention to your soles as you walk. With each step, notice how your weight shifts from the center to the ball of your foot. Maintain steady breathing throughout this exercise.

If you have the chance, try walking barefoot in grass. This is called "earthing". While researchers are still exploring the benefits of this practice, some experts claim that this may help reduce stress while improving blood flow, sleep, and vitality.