Written by: Jen Barnes, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
I've been practicing mindfulness and meditation for around 25 years. It wasn't until this morning I realized one of the most helpful mindfulness practices I do daily to help myself focus better.
Last week in class, my yoga teacher shared some research mentioned on the Huberman Lab podcast around how we improve focus through mindfulness. It's not how you think. In fact, everything about mindfulness that freaks out people the most is the thing that creates the benefits. I suspect most of us know or have heard of mindfulness practices and perhaps even know how much they can help us. And yet, so few people practice it. Why? The number one reason I hear in my work why people don't practice mindfulness is fear of having "too many thoughts,” getting distracted, and doing it “wrong.” But the thing is the distraction, noticing you are distracted, and bringing yourself back to the object of your attention is actually what helps change the brain so you can focus better. Jon Kabat-Zinn, the founder of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program, has long said that the practice isn't just sitting there serenely with no thoughts. The practice is noticing our attention has shifted and brought it back. That is what helps us improve our focus, among other things. Yet this fear of our thoughts, of getting distracted, or of our mind being too busy prevails and keeps people from mindfulness practice – the very thing that would help build attention in the first place. So here’s the deal. Your brain is going to think during mindfulness practices, and that's not bad or wrong. What we get wrong is that this is bad. But the thing is, our brains like to think; that's what they're there for, so they're not going stop thinking. Remember, mindfulness isn't about quieting the mind. It is a practice of putting our attention on something, noticing when we’ve been distracted, and bringing our attention back to the focus of our mindfulness practice. Sometimes this noticing comes after the practice itself. That’s not bad or wrong either. Whenever you notice you've been (or were) distracted, acknowledge it and bring your attention back to the focus of your mindfulness practice. I teach a lot of different mindfulness practices in my programs and in my work with individual clients.
My favorite mindfulness practice to share with people who are just getting started is mindful toothbrushing because we all have to brush our teeth. Mindful toothbrushing is exactly how it sounds. As you brush your teeth, pay attention to every single tooth. Notice the taste of the toothpaste and any sounds that you hear as you brush your teeth. Then, as soon as you notice you've been distracted, acknowledge that you got distracted and refocus your attention on brushing your teeth. This practice is quick and easy and not only helps us take good care of our teeth but also helps us build our ability to focus.
What I am about to share now is something I realized the other day while I was getting ready. I realized that I've been practicing mindfulness in a big way without even realizing it.
I would be getting ready in the morning and notice myself doing something completely unrelated, such as starting to reorganize my pantry or vacuuming the bugs out of my office window. While I wanted to open the window during sessions that day and the pantry could use some TLC, that was not the task at hand. So, as soon as I caught myself off-task, I would say, “That is not a priority right now. Focus on getting ready,” and then bring myself back to getting ready and focusing on that.
What I was doing was focusing on one thing, getting distracted, noticing I was distracted, and then bringing my attention back to the initial object of my focus. I never realized it, but this whole time (for years, maybe decades), my process of getting ready in the morning has essentially been one big mindfulness practice. The best part is that over time, this getting ready mindfulness practice has helped tremendously. I am now better able to stay focused and refocus relatively quickly when I get off track. This has helped me get ready faster in the morning but also helped me be more efficient and mindful throughout the day.
I encourage you to give this or some other mindfulness practices a try. The most important thing to remember is that shame has no place here. You can't do mindfulness wrong. Just as soon as you notice that you're off track, gently observe that you are off track and bring your attention back to your initial point of focus.
Before going on with your day, identify how you might bring mindfulness into your life starting today, even if for just one minute. And now, go do it.
Jen Barnes, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Jen Barnes is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in private practice in Minneapolis, MN. She specializes in complex trauma, PTSD, stress, and grief. The daughter and sister of nurses, she has a passion for empowering nurses to build resilience. She has worked with nurses 1:1 hoping to expand her reaching to a broader audience. In 2021 she completed the Dare to Lead certificate program in order to more effectively address organizational challenges in healthcare. Most recently, she spoke at the American Association of Critical Care Nurses’s 2022 NTI conference on Building Resilience in Nursing.
