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Commuting mindfully
So, we’ve all been back at work for a bit now, after the summer holidays, and it’s also back to the same old routine of that hideous commute to and from work! What a bind! Do we, really, still have to go through all that, every day, until the day we pack it in?!! Here’s a better way to make the most of those journeys!
- Leave in plenty of time. rushing and fretting about being late only causes anxiety and a build-up of stress. If you arrive early, use the time to rest and clear your head before you start the working day.
- Don’t fill your journey with technology. Phones and tablets may be an easy way to spend the time, but they generally add to our sense of mind clutter. Keep them in your pocket or bag and, instead, observe the world around you and your place in it.
- If it’s possible, take a different route – there’s a saying I tell all my clients – you have to get lost in order to find yourself! Seeing the same thing every day can add to our sense of living on autopilot. A change of scenery means that, by seeing new things, you develop your sense of curiosity, not to mention your creativity.
- Walk whenever possible. The slower pace and change of perspective can help to calm and settle your mind. Even if it means getting off the bus, train or tube a couple of stops early, the benefits are certainly worth it.
- Pay attention to your breathing. Focusing on the breath enhances all aspects of mindfulness.
- Engage with the physical world. Bring your attention to how you feel, make contact with the ground and sense how the wind feels on your face.
- Use the movement and rhythm of the train or bus, not to aggravate you into motion sickness, but rather to help you achieve a more peaceful state of mind.
- Notice your body and how it responds. Are your shoulders rigid? Are you holding your breath? Is your neck tight? Is your jaw tense? Quietly bring your attention to areas that need relaxing and focus on reducing the tension.
- Do your best to see negatives as positives. To begin with, treat it as an exercise – when you notice yourself taking a pessimistic view, think of the opposite. In time, this approach has no option but to become part of your new wiring as it develops into a new habit, becoming more intuitive for you.
- Embrace the journey and make friends with your commute. For most of us it’s an unavoidable aspect of our lives, a necessary evil. By reclaiming the time and using it to our advantage, we have the opportunity to enrich ourselves every day, so becoming better equipped to deal with the challenges of every day.