In recent years, practices of mindfulness have become increasingly popular. Why? Well because we live in a culture driven by busy-ness and people are stressed.
Mindfulness is the state of being conscious or aware of something, usually while reserving judgment.
Now, because mindfulness is a state of being rather than a quick exercise, a ten-minute meditation session will not melt all your stress away. So here are some easy mindful coping mechanisms that’ll keep you strong through finals week.
Set your intentions first. Calculate your grades in relation to the grades you want to make on finals for each class. This will act as the “why” when you need a reason to keep hope alive. Prioritize studying for the classes that require the most effort to achieve your goal grade. Make a realistic schedule that takes account of your sleep schedule and rest times. After you’ve set your intentions for the week, be mindful, of your daily activities and how they coincide with your intentions.
Take a REAL break. A peaceful mind is an efficient mind. Step away from all technology and all distractions and just relax. Breaks are the best time to practice awareness because all you have to do is observe your surroundings with no judgment. Excessive stress causes us to overlook, overthink, and overcompensate things in regards to studying and test taking. Break times are best for walking down a hall and seeing how many new things you notice, sitting quietly and taking a check of your current state, and breaks are tidying up areas in your room that require minimal thought. The only rule is to avoid digital technology and a past/future thought process.
Do some jumping jacks. No, seriously. This, as well as regular exercise, is a mindful activity because it connects you to the needs of the body and brings awareness to all areas being worked out. Jumping jacks are an easy exercise that requires no extreme commitment and the cognitive benefits are still there. When we do jumping jacks or any form of cardio, oxygen is delivered to the tired brain, producing more brain cells in the hippocampus, the area responsible for learning and memory. Jumping jacks also help produce more stress relieving hormones to keep you motivated longer. When you need a quick boost, get up and do 3 sets of 20. Source
Eat “mindfully”. A clean diet is one that is free from processed foods and excess sugar. Eating mindfully means paying attention to how certain foods affect your mind, body, and spirit. Sugar, for example, is the worst thing to consume in the mornings because it causes a rapid spike and drop in your glucose levels which cause you to feel tired and become hungry much sooner. Your body will tell you what is acceptable through signs like gas, indigestion, and even the appearance of waste. Aside from our mental and physical signs, the spirit will also communicate what nourishes it. If there’s a certain food you think you shouldn’t eat, but don’t know why, don’t even go there. 95% of our serotonin, the feel-good hormone, is produced in the gastrointestinal tract. The quality of our mind is dependent on the quality of our food. When we eat mindfully, we give our brain and body the right fuel to perform at its best.