5 Ways to Live in the Moment and Improve Productivity

Here is a list of simple techniques that you can incorporate in your daily life. These are techniques that will help you become more aligned with your inner self and live in the current moment where life really exists.

I. Full Body Scan

This is as simple as it sounds. You can use this literally anywhere. Whether you are sitting at your desk doing work, in your class, on your daily commute, watching TV or while you are reading; you can do this anytime. All you have to do is sit or stand up straight, take a deep breath and close your eyes on your exhale. Simply scan your body from head to toe, notice areas that are tensed or that feel uncomfortable and give them permission to relax. Also notice area that feel free and happy, notice that allow them to spread this feeling to the rest of your body. Take another deep breath and open your eyes on the exhale.

Do this when you are in a state of stress, anxiety and even when you are relaxed. Note how different your body feels under different circumstances. Take note of how your body is able to adapt to each situation and send a word of gratitude. This technique allows you to notice how your body is feeling and allows you to be in sync with it.

II. Re-center your Breath

If you are feeling overwhelmed, too confused, too stressed and too anxious to continue being productive. Just close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Inhale deeply to the count of 4, hold for a count of 2 and exhale for a count of 4. Do this until you feel yourself visibly relax. You can do this along with the body scan to help improve the result.

III. Understand your Sensory Environment

Sometimes when we feel too overwhelmed to keep working it is probably because the environment you are working in has a lot of sensory triggers. What that does is it puts your brain in overdrive because it has to not only process these stimuli but also stop them from disturbing your focus. This causes tension to build up in your head resulting in headaches every time you work. A simple way to deal with this is to scan your environment using your senses mainly visual, auditory and tactile. Try to notice things like the brightness of your screen, background noises, the position and height of chair, the lighting in the room, etc. Identify what is helping and what is not. And alter your environment to help you stay present and focused.

IV. Take a Nap

Often times we forget to rest our body and keep pushing to be more productive. We stay up late and do not take proper breaks. Though it feels like you are doing work in the long run your productivity level will be reduced which means that these habits are in fact counterproductive. So the best thing to do when you find yourself exhausted yet driven, take a nap. It relaxes your eyes and your whole body. This signals your brain that you are in fact in a safe environment and reduces the stress hormones.

V. Identify your Cathartic Activity

Every one of us needs a break to refresh and restart. Some enjoy relaxing baths and spa days while others prefer a quite night with some wine and a book. These not only serve as acts of self-love but also help you process emotions and feelings. It is important to identify your Cathartic activity. Here are some popular ones: talking a walk in nature, gardening, painting, snuggling with your furry friends, dancing, photography or even listening to a good playlist. These activities help you reconnect with yourself and your creative juices will flow better.

Remember that small steps often result in the biggest changes. So try out these simple techniques and let me know if they helped change your day to day experiences.

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