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As humans, we tend to worry about both the past and future, but ultimately, the only time and place that we have complete control over is the present moment.
In times of stress, many people find a sense of calm by practising mindfulness: an exercise that can help you focus on the here and now, and better understand your thoughts and feelings.
Meditation is one of the best-known forms of mindfulness, but there are plenty of other activities that can help you focus your mind.
From colouring and knitting to birdwatching and flower arranging, here are 10 everyday activities that can help you stay in the present moment.
1. Mindful cooking
With plenty of smells, sounds, and tastes to enjoy throughout, cooking can be a great way to focus your mind on the present moment. Many of us find ourselves rushing to prepare food so that we can move on to eating – it’s just another task on the long list of daily chores we have to complete.
However, taking the time to fully engage in cooking can help distract you from any racing thoughts, provide a sense of accomplishment, and be a form of self-care. There’s something satisfying about sitting down to enjoy a meal that you put real thought and care into, especially if it tastes great!
So, next time you go to cook, try to approach it mindfully. Think about each utensil you use and what you’re doing at every stage. What can you hear? What can you smell? What can you taste?
By having complete focus as you cook, you’ll hopefully find yourself really living in the moment and enjoying the process.
To get started with mindful cooking, check out our beginner’s guide to mindful eating. You might also like to browse our food and drink section.
2. Knitting
If you find it tricky to keep your mind in the present moment, you might also experience feelings of restlessness that prevent you from fully relaxing. When this happens, many of us start scrolling through social media to keep our hands busy. However, this often means we come across new things to worry about.
Knitting can be a great remedy for this because it keeps both your hands and mind busy, while giving you a sense of accomplishment. The repetitive movements of creating knit and purl stitches can allow you to enter a somewhat meditative state. And although knitting is relaxing, it doesn’t allow your mind to wander too far – because if you drop a stitch, you’ll end up with a hole in your pattern.
If you’ve never tried knitting before, why not give it a go? Once you get the hang of it, it can be difficult to stop. You could be knitting toys for your grandchildren and scarves for your neighbours before you know it.
Our beginner’s guide to knitting will cover everything you need to know to get started. Or, if you’re looking for ways to keep your hands busy but don’t think that knitting is for you, you might find it helpful to read our article: 8 things to do with your hands when you feel anxious.
3. Flower arranging
It can be comforting to have flowers around the home; they can bring brightness and cheer, and help connect us with nature.
So, if you find joy in flowers, why not consider learning to flower arrange? Many people think that it’s simply about placing a bunch of flowers in a vase, but it can soon become a satisfying and relaxing hobby that requires real skill.
If you’re wondering where to get started, you’ll find inspiration and guidance in our article: 17 of the most popular and classic flower arranging styles. You’ll also find countless helpful tutorials on YouTube that cover the basics of flower arranging.
You might also like to read about our regular contributor Janet Gordon’s experience of joining a flower club.
4. Birdwatching
You can take up birdwatching from anywhere – whether from the comfort of your home or from your local park.
Try focusing on the birds’ movements, appearances, interactions, and songs. To further deepen your birdwatching experience, it can be interesting to learn about the individual behaviours and traits of different species.
To find out more about birdwatching, why not read our beginner’s guide?
If you have a lack of birds in your area or struggle to spot them, consider a virtual birdwatching session. Explore has a selection of live cams that allow you to check in on a wide range of birds, including eagles, herons, and hummingbirds.
5. Colouring
Over the last few years, colouring has become increasingly popular amongst adults and can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Focusing on something creative, cheerful, and low-pressure can keep the mind busy and promote calmness.
Colouring is a stress-free activity because you can do as little or as much as you’d like in one sitting, and it’s difficult to make a mistake. It can also give you a feeling of accomplishment as you make progress. Plus, it’s fun! You can choose to colour pictures of things that you like or that inspire you, get creative with colours, and play around using different pens and pencils.
You can find lots of free, printable colouring pages on the Crayola website. Or you could consider buying a colouring book. Some people prefer this option as they can work through it systematically.
6. Gardening
Whether you have a garden or not, there are plenty of ways that mindful interactions with nature can bring you peace and contentment.
Research has found a link between time spent in nature and happiness. This is because of its ability to make us feel more connected to our surroundings. Gardening can also help to reduce feelings of loneliness, stress, and anxiety.
Whether you’re caring for a couple of small cacti on your windowsill or pruning a 10-foot-tall hedge, the act of tending to plants, flowers, and green spaces requires concentration and commitment.
Our gardening section has plenty of tips to help you get started. If you don’t have a garden, our articles: 10 things you can grow in a window box at home and 10 low-maintenance indoor plants that can add life to your home should offer some inspiration.
7. Pottery
When you think of pottery, you might be transported to the famous scene in the 1990 film, Ghost, with Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore. But learning to throw a plate, pot, or mug on a potter’s wheel can be a mindful and fulfilling experience.
The great thing about clay is that there’s an endless list of things you can create with it. Following your clay on its journey from a murky lump to a unique and beautiful object that you can use or gift to a friend can be incredibly rewarding.
Pottery can help keep your mind present as it relies so heavily on the senses – particularly touch, sight, and smell. For example, when feeling the warm clay in your hands and smelling its earthy scent, it can be difficult for your mind to wander.
However, clay can be unpredictable, and while you may have a clear idea of what you want to produce, your ball of clay might have other ideas! In an interview with Vogue, ceramicist John Sheppard said, “You have to be in tune with the clay and react to what state it’s in to work with it.”
The downside to pottery is that it can be a pricey hobby. But if you’re planning for it to become long-term, the investment is often worth it. Kara Leigh Ford Ceramics has a helpful guide to choosing the right pottery wheel here. Or, to see whether you enjoy working with clay, you could first purchase a pottery kit.
Once you’re up and running, YouTube has a wide selection of free pottery tutorials, including wheel-throwing for beginners and how to wedge clay.
8. Decluttering and organising
Decluttering and organising is an activity that, once you start, it’s trickyto stop. Have you ever tried to find something in a messy cupboard, and before you know it, it’s three hours later, and you’ve sorted and rearranged the entire thing? I know I have.
The process of decluttering and organising tends to be all-encompassing and can offer a great form of escapism. There’s no room for anything else in your head when you’re trying to figure out whether to keep those comfy brown loafers with the worn-out heels or that beautiful black dress that’s one size too small.
The other great thing about this activity is that you receive instant satisfaction when you see the results. You could also take before-and-after pictures of your work to track your progress.
If you’re interested in learning about how best to declutter your things, check out our articles: How to declutter and reorganise your home and 8 tips for minimalist living.
For further inspiration, organising consultant Marie Kondo has a great series on Netflix that’ll show you how to get rid of items that no longer bring joy to your life, and tidy those that do. She also offers free tips on her YouTube channel.
9. Exercise
Engaging in physical activity can be just as great for your mind as for your body. Exercise not only encourages the release of endorphins (happy hormones), but it also connects your mind and body, helping keep you in the present moment.
It’s difficult to exercise without considering how it makes you feel or tapping into your mental willpower. Our article, How exercise can lead to better brain health, has more information.
If you haven’t yet found your sport or go-to exercise, there are plenty of ideas on our fitness and exercise section. From running and cycling to Tai Chi and walking football, there’s hopefully something for everyone. Alternatively, you might like to sign up for a virtual exercise class on Rest Less Events.
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10. Hanging out with your pet
Animals live in the present with little regard for the past or future – and this can make spending time with them very refreshing. Seeing how happy and engaged they are with life can help us forget about our own troubles.
Pets have a funny way of connecting with us emotionally. Because they can’t speak to us, we interpret their behaviours and look for signs of what they could be thinking or feeling. So, focusing on our pets can help centre our minds on the present moment.
Spending quality time with your pet could be as simple as watching your fish swim around their tank and paying attention to the light reflecting off their scales. Or, you could take your dog for a walk, play fetch in the garden, or teach them a new trick. Our pets are precious, so any extra time with them can only be a good thing.
For further information, check out our article: 10 benefits of owning a pet.
Final thoughts...
"With mindfulness, you can establish yourself in the present in order to touch the wonders of life that are available in that moment.”
Like everything in life, staying in the present moment becomes easier with practise. The more you engage with activities you enjoy, the more likely you are to focus solely on the task in front of you.
Staying present can also be easier if you temporarily free yourself from external factors like your smartphone or TV. They tend to distract and prevent us from giving tasks our full attention. Feeling torn between multiple activities can increase feelings of anxiety and unrest, too.
If you’d like to learn more about mindfulness, check out our introductory guide. And you can find mindfulness events on Rest Less Events.
What activities help you to stay in the present moment? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
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