50 Mindfulness Hacks for When You Need a Minute

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Not to be dramatic or anything, but do you ever have those days when you feel like you’re slowly dying on the inside? Withering from the energetic weight that existence piles on you? Futilely attempting to climb yourself out of a rut but sinking into emotional numbness instead?

Yep, same.

Ironically, sometimes the *last* thing you want to do, when you desperately need to take a beat, is figure out how to press pause. It may seem easier to trudge through the day with anxious butterflies in your stomach than  brainstorm ways to reconnect with yourself. But in the long-run, you know that leaves you feeling even more depleted.

The good news is you likely know more than you think you do about how to meet yourself exactly where you are and self-soothe. And when you forget, our list of mindfulness hacks can remind you of how to do just that.

50 Mindfulness Hacks* for When You Need a Moment

We turned to our Instagram community, editors, writers, friends, and family members for their absolute favorite go-to activities for when they need to find their way to a more grounded and centered state.

Some of these require more of your attention; others you can simply add on to whatever you’re already doing. The hacks are yours to, well, hack in whatever way works for you.

*The term “hack,” in this case, doesn’t imply that mindfulness is easy. But sometimes, we all underestimate the power of a few minutes of dedicated rest, joy, play, or distraction during the day. Sometimes it takes a simple action to gently remind you of how to be more mindful.

1. Step outside, even for a few minutes. Feel the breeze, hear the birds, or watch the trees sway.
2. Come into Legs Up the Wall.
3. Take time to gua sha your face in the morning.
4. Literally. Just. Breathe.
5. Relax your shoulders.
6. Play an upbeat song and take a dance break. (You could even record yourself doing it and send it to friends as a silly reminder to get out of their heads and into their bodies.)
7. Take a minute to notice how you’re feeling.
8. Make a to-do list.
9. Stand near water of any kind—lake, stream, ocean, even the rain.
10. Schedule 10 minutes to lie flat on your back on the floor and listen to 90s jungle music.
11. Pause to take a yoga break—even if you have time for only one or two poses at a time. It can shift your headspace and help you feel grounded.
12. Play an instrument. You don’t have to be “good”—just play!
13. Call a friend but not to vent. Ask how they are and truly listen to them. It helps to expand your universe beyond yourself.
14. Read a few sentences or a paragraph from any of your fave books.
15. Make a point to notice the plants and trees outside your window or on a walk to the best of your ability—everything from the color to the texture to the way the light hits them.
16. Rub a few drops of essential oil in your palms and take a deep breath to inhale the goodness.
17.  Let the sunlight hit your face as you close your eyes and feel the warmth.
18. Take a minute (or 10) to pet your dog or cat.
19. Put your bare feet on the earth. Even if it’s just in your yard. (You can even do it while sending an email from your phone or taking a call.)
20. Turn on fairy lights, light a couple of candles, and lie on your bed to vibe out in the mood lighting.
21. Dust your plants, leaf by leaf, with a microfiber cloth and try to focus your mind on only that task.
22. Savor a piece of dark chocolate, such as Trader Joe’s sunflower seed butter cups.
23. Stare at a pretty flower and really notice its shape, color, and pattern.
24. Drive with the windows cracked.
25. Finger-paint on a piece of paper or canvas and let yourself be super messy with no expectations for what you create.
26. Put on noise-cancelling headphones and listen to meditation music (try Alanis Morissette’s meditation album).
27. Be present for the whole ritual of making a cup of tea and then sip the hot tea and do literally nothing else.
28. Listen to a podcast episode either while driving or lying in bed.
29. Sing (in the shower, while cooking, during a work break, in the car…anytime you’re alone, really).
30. Cook. Focus on each task—the pieces you chop, the smells that waft from the pot, the feel of the heat from the stove.
31. Write down in your journal whatever thoughts or words come to mind. It doesn’t have to make sense.
32. Take an “everything shower.”
33. Create a little “nest” out of blankets and pillows and nestle in with a good book.
34. Eat and focus on the texture and taste of the food in your mouth. Notice what combinations you like best.
35. Color. Something about the nostalgic smell of Crayola crayons is really soothing.
36. After deep-cleaning the living room, sit on the couch, smell the fresh scents, and admire the organized space. Instant mood-lifter.
37. Squish a stress ball or slime in your hands.
38. Pen a hand-written letter to a friend. You don’t have to actually give it to them, but jot down a shared memory or why you love them. It instantly shifts you into gratitude mode.
39. Take a bath with essential oils and EXTRA bubbles.
40. Bake. Something about following a recipe is incredibly relaxing.
41. Listen to a comfort audiobook (for the third or fourth time) before falling sleep.
42. Box breathe.
43. Lie in bed with a sleep mask over your eyes, listening to music and breathing.
44. Meditate with a guided practice on YouTube.
45. Ride a bike on a nature trail.
46. Pull cards from a Tarot or oracle card deck.
47. Make something out of clay.
48. Put together a Lego creation.
49. Walk with no particular destination in mind.
50. Spray your face with lavender hydrosol before bed.