Mindfulness has tremendous benefits: it reduces stress while increasing clarity of mind, enjoyment, effectiveness and many other benefits.

But it does take time.

This article is for you if you’d love to practice Mindfulness, but simply can’t find the time.

What’s the quickest way to practice Mindfulness?

Here’s the quickest way I know to get started with Mindfulness:

Take a breath!

Of course, we’re breathing all the time – it’s paying attention to it that makes the difference. Try following one breath: all the way in and all the way out. Try it now if you like. What are all the sensations you can notice? Perhaps there are even sensations you’ve never noticed before?

Sometimes even just following a single breath can change the pattern of your breathing. As I do it now, I notice that the next breath is much deeper. Something in me has really relaxed.

How does it work?

How can something as simple as following a single breath make such a difference? Well, there are many mechanisms, but one is to do with runaway thoughts. If you’ve got a regret about the past or a worry about the future, repeatedly thinking about it really ramps up the stress levels. Diverting attention to the sensations of breathing interrupts those thoughts. It also helps you feel more connected to your emotions and your body in general. The overall effect is to bring down stress levels and increase clarity of mind.

Is that enough?

Following one single breath isn’t going to change your life (sorry!). But if you get into the habit of turning your attention to your breathing, many times a day, then the effect will build up over time. You will become a more resilient person, better able to stay calm under pressure in the face of stress.

So that’s the simplest and easiest way to get into Mindfulness that I know – and sometimes it’s enough.

What if I want something more powerful?

If you’d like something a little stronger, you might like to try my “Mindfulness QuickStart” training. It consists of a live and online workshop to get you started, and 3 weeks of lightweight eLearning to help you integrate Mindfulness into your day. And the best bit is you only need to commit to 2 minutes mindfulness practice per day! That might not sound like much, but participants report noticeable improvements in stress, enjoyment, focus and effectiveness.

Interested? You can find more details here.