7 Mindfulness Practices to Reduce Anxiety at Home

7 Mindfulness Practices to Reduce Anxiety at Home

Mindful@Home offers free guided meditations from expert mindfulness teachers, broadcasting live on Facebook every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 3 p.m. ET. These sessions provide practical tools for finding peace during stressful times.

Proven Techniques to Calm Your Anxious Mind

In this special series, mindfulness expert Elisha Goldstein shares seven evidence-based practices to help manage stress and anxiety:

1. Slow Down Your Daily Activities

• Practice mindful movement during routine tasks
• Focus on sensations while walking, washing dishes, or showering
• Let your mind follow your body's slower pace

2. Consume News Mindfully

• Read beyond sensational headlines
• Pause before sharing alarming content
• Set boundaries for media consumption

3. Create Predictable Routines

• Establish grounding daily habits
• Incorporate exercise, sleep, and meditation
• Balance uncertainty with structured activities

4. Practice the 3x3 Sensory Exercise

• Notice: 3 things you see, 3 sounds, 3 physical sensations
• Adapt to include all five senses if preferred
• Focus on one sense at a time for deeper awareness

5. Release Self-Judgment

• Notice comparison thoughts
• Label them as "comparing"
• Practice self-compassion instead

6. Reality-Check Anxious Thoughts

• Ask: Is this thought true?
• Consider: How does it make me feel?
• Reflect: What would I do without this thought?

7. Connect with Nature

• Go outside when possible
• Observe the sky and surroundings
• Listen mindfully to environmental sounds

Additional Mindfulness Resources

• One Year Into the Pandemic: Compassion Practices
• Managing Thoughts During Meditation
• Free COVID-19 Mindfulness Resources

Experiment with these techniques to discover what works best for you. Remember, you're not alone in facing these challenges.