Mindfulness week 4: mindfulness in daily life

For three weeks, you have set aside time to practice: a body scan, sitting with the breath, and watching thoughts. These are skills, and skills are meant to be used. This week is about taking them off the cushion and into the rest of your day.

In this last lesson of our free four-week mindfulness course, you learn how to practice during ordinary tasks, a short check-in called the 3-minute breathing space, and simple ways to keep going after the course ends.

Why this step matters

Most of life happens outside of meditation. The goal is to notice what is happening, right when it happens, so you have a choice about how to respond.

Formal practice is like going to the gym. Informal practice is like taking the stairs. Both build the same skill. Courses such as MBSR mix formal meditation with informal exercises for this reason.¹

Formal and informal practice

Everyday moments to practice

Pick one ordinary activity this week. Each time you do it, give it your full attention: sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touch. When your mind drifts, notice that and gently come back, just as you did with the breath. Some ideas:

• Brushing your teeth. Feel the bristles, taste the toothpaste, notice the sound of the water.⁶
• The first few bites of a meal. Notice the taste and texture of the food, and notice when you start to feel full.⁹ This builds on the mindful bite from week 1.
• Walking. Feel your feet touch the ground and the air on your skin. Notice what you see and hear.^5,9 Walk at a safe, comfortable pace.
• Folding laundry or petting your dog. Feel the soft cloth or the fur under your hand.³
• Waiting. In line, on hold or at a red light, notice your breath and your body instead of reaching for your phone.^6,8
• Talking with someone. Listen fully. Notice their face and tone, and notice your own urge to jump in.⁹

You can also silently name what you notice. For example, "This is worry" or "Here is tiredness." Naming a feeling can give you a little space from it.⁵ This is the same skill you practiced with thoughts in week 3.

The 3-minute breathing space

The breathing space is a short practice taught in mindfulness courses, including mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). MBCT was developed to help people who keep having bouts of depression.⁶ The breathing space lets you check in with how you are, pause to gather yourself, and then meet the next part of your day with a wider view.⁷ You can do it almost anywhere, at any time.⁷

It has three parts, about one minute each: wide attention, then narrow, then wide again, like an hourglass. You do not need a timer.

1. Stop and check in (wide). Sit or stand tall and still. Close your eyes or lower your gaze if you like. Ask yourself, "What is here right now?" Notice your thoughts. Notice your feelings, pleasant or unpleasant. Notice any sensations in your body, like tight shoulders or a heavy chest. You are not trying to change anything, just noticing.
2. Gather on the breath (narrow). Bring your attention to one spot where you feel the breath, such as the belly or the nose. Follow each breath in and each breath out. When your mind wanders, gently bring it back, as you did in week 2.
3. Widen to the whole body (wide). Let your attention spread from the breath to your whole body: your posture, your face, your hands, your feet on the floor. Sense the body breathing as a whole. If there is a tight or uneasy spot, you can imagine breathing into and around it. Then open your eyes and choose your next step.

Do it at set times, such as after meals, so it becomes a habit. Then use it when stress builds, such as before a hard phone call.

Keeping going after the course

Many people find it hard to keep practicing once a course ends. These steps can help:

• Pick a regular time. Tie practice to something you already do, like after breakfast or before bed.^4,5,6
• Start small and build slowly. The VA gives the example of starting at 5 minutes a day and adding 2 minutes each week, up to 20 minutes.³ Even short daily practice counts.
• Choose your favorites. You do not have to keep every practice. Keep what helps you, and let go of what does not.⁶
• Get support. Beginners often find it easier to stay with practice in a group class with a trained teacher.⁴ Free options include the Palouse Mindfulness online MBSR course.⁸ See MBSR and MBCT for in-person and online courses.
• Use a free app or recording. The VA's free Mindfulness Coach app has guided practices, a practice log and reminders, on iPhone and Android.¹⁰ UCLA offers free guided meditations, some as short as 3 minutes, in many languages, including Spanish, Vietnamese, Arabic, Mandarin and Tagalog.¹¹
• Be patient with yourself. Like any skill, mindfulness takes practice.⁹ If you miss a day or a week, just start again.

Tips for later life and caregivers

• Fit the practice to your body. Do the breathing space in a chair, in bed or at the kitchen counter. If walking is unsteady, practice mindful sitting instead.
• For family caregivers. A breathing space can fit between tasks, such as before helping someone bathe or after a hard visit. It is a short pause, not a cure for being worn out. You still need real help, such as respite care. See caregiver burnout and caregiver stress.
• Kindness counts. If you are hard on yourself, try loving-kindness practice alongside your other practices.

Common problems

I keep forgetting to practice during the day.

This is very common. Link the practice to something you already do, like sitting down to eat. A phone alarm or a sticky note on the mirror can remind you. Over time, the pause comes more on its own.

I can't do the breathing space when I am upset.

That is normal at first. Practice it in calm moments so it is ready when you need it.⁸ In a hard moment, one slow breath and a quick check-in is enough. If the breath feels uneasy, use your feet on the floor as your anchor, or try grounding.

I finished the course. What comes next?

Keep a short daily practice and one everyday activity. To go deeper, consider an 8-week MBSR or MBCT course, or try related skills in ACT or DBT.

Safety and when to get help

Mindfulness is low risk for most people. Still, in a review of 83 studies, about 1 in 12 people (8%) had an unpleasant effect, most often anxiety or low mood.² Some people feel upset as they become more aware of hard feelings or patterns.³ You can always open your eyes, shorten a practice or stop.

People with PTSD, psychosis or other severe mental illness do best practicing with a skilled teacher or therapist.^3,4 Mindfulness should not replace medical care or delay seeing a doctor about a health problem.¹ Do not stop any medicine because you started practicing. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before changing anything.

If low mood or worry gets in the way of daily life for more than a couple of weeks, talk with a doctor or therapist. See finding a therapist.

If you have thoughts of suicide, call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. It is free, confidential and open 24/7.¹² Call 911 if you or someone else is in danger right now. You can also visit get help now.

You have finished the course. Go back to week 1, week 2 or week 3 anytime, or return to the mindfulness overview.

Education only. This page is general information written from the sources listed. It is not medical, legal or financial advice and does not replace a doctor, therapist or lawyer who knows your situation. How we write and check pages.