One Habit Hack That Works: Hit the Showers

One of the features in my forthcoming book, Overworked and Overwhelmed: The Mindfulness Alternative , is a series of sidebars called Habit Hacks. The habit hacks are simple things that are easy to do and likely to make a difference in feeling less overworked and overwhelmed.

I have a feeling that I’m going to be collecting a lot of good habit hacks over the next few years. Just last week for instance, I heard one from a client who’s been working on incorporating deep breathing into his day as a way to be more mindful (aware and intentional) and less stressed.

Earlier this year, we kicked around the idea of him sitting in his car and breathing for a few minutes before he left the parking garage to go into his building in the mornings. That worked some days for him but not others depending on his commute and his early morning schedule.

In the meantime, he realized that taking a shower each workday morning is one thing he does that is consistently reliable. So, he’s started the habit hack of taking three deep breaths while he’s standing in the shower each morning. It wakes him up, clears his head and gets him ready for his day.

Easy to do? Yep, it only takes an extra minute or so in the shower that he was going to take anyway. Makes a difference? It does for him.

You don’t have to meditate like a monk to benefit from mindfulness. All it takes is a few minutes (or even less in the case of the habit hack in the shower) to center yourself, become more aware and set your intention for what’s next.

What are the mindfulness habit hacks that work for you?

( Image via iPortret / Shutterstock.com )