Time: < 30 Minutes 

STEP 1: Just sit in silence. Become aware of your thoughts. Focus on your breathing. Notice the world around you. Become comfortable with the silence and stillness. Breathe. In this “sitting exercise”, allow yourself the time and space to just sit. Don’t fall prey to the pressures to stay busy at every moment—spend ten minutes a day just sitting, with no distractions or excuses to get up early.

STEP 2: Translate the stillness of sitting into other actions in your life. Complete one task at a time, but don’t rush yourself to finish that task. Take your time and move slowly. Make your actions deliberate, not rushed and random. It takes practice, but it will help you focus on the task at hand.

STEP 3: Sit and listen. How many of us have spent time sitting with someone but have been thinking about what we need to do next? Or thinking about what we want to say next, instead of really listening to that person? As you sit with that person, focus on being present, on really listening, and enjoying your time with that person—return to your breath occasionally to remain focused and engaged.

STEP 4: Slow down, sit and savor each and every moment. Just as you would savor your food by eating it more slowly, do everything this way. Tune into the sights and sounds and awaken your senses to the world around you.

STEP 5: Be grateful for breaks. Having to wait for something or someone can be irritating, but if you want to live in the moment, it’s important to learn how to think about waiting as a good thing. Instead of becoming impatient when you have to wait for something, practice being grateful for the extra time to notice your surroundings. Treat the extra time as a break and appreciate this moment for yourself. Challenge yourself to NOT pick up your phone during this time. Just breathe, think and be in the moment!