How to Stay Mindful in an Increasingly Mindless World

OK, I am going to start this post off by publicly admitting to a not-so-perfect habit, and I’m doing so only because I know that most of you reading this probably do the same thing. For the past few years, I’ve been eating most of my meals while staring at my laptop (hello, Netflix). Of course, when part of your attention is elsewhere, it is hard to be mindful of what you’re eating. In fact, having part of your attention elsewhere is probably the antithesis of mindfulness.

But just today—because my robot vacuum cleaner was zooming around in my usual eating location (hello, first-world problems)—I was forced to take my meal elsewhere. I chose a cute little black chair next to a large sunny window (sans any devices), and proceeded to have one of the slowest and most mindful meals I can remember having in recent history.

The meal was not only mindful, it was also deeply enjoyable. When you live in the Pacific Northwest, soaking up every moment of sun almost becomes second nature. And because every bite of my meal was savored without distraction, I was satiated at the end and didn’t find myself craving more food than I needed. Oh, and bonus, I also came up with the idea to write this very post :)

I am sure most of you reading this can relate in some way, because it is no secret that our constant dependence on devices has made us all less mindful during our day-to-day lives. I remember growing up, sitting with the rest of the family at a dining table, and just enjoying our meals together. I am not quite sure if we were entirely mindful of what we were eating during those times, but it at least made mealtimes a communal activity. If nothing else, our attention was partly on each other’s stories of what happened during the day, and not on the passive consumption of Selling Sunset (I realize that I have now just admitted to watching Selling Sunset on a public platform, but maybe it was just research for an upcoming post on the psychology of why we enjoy reality TV so much. You will never know.)

So what can we do, on a day-to-day basis, to live our lives more mindfully? Here are a few small, practical shifts that can make a big difference.

1. Change the scene

Sometimes we fall into habits not because they’re particularly enjoyable, but simply because they’ve become automatic. Psychologists even have a fancy term for this: habitual automaticity. In my case, eating in front of my laptop became so routine that I stopped noticing I was doing it. But when my robot vacuum forced me to a chair by the window, that tiny disruption turned into an opportunity for mindfulness. A simple change of place (or even changing your walking route) can be enough to knock the brain off autopilot and create space for awareness.

2. Take a single-tasking challenge

Multitasking is often worn as a badge of honor, but neuroscience shows it’s really just task-switching—and it drains mental energy. Staying with one activity at a time is a gift you can give your brain. Try this: Rat without scrolling, or write an email without toggling to five other tabs. You might be surprised at how calming it feels to actually finish something without distraction.

Just sayin’—folding laundry is not on my personal list of mindful activities. That’s a multitasking zone for me: podcasts, TV, phone calls…basically, whatever gets me through the socks. And honestly, that’s fine. The real magic of mindfulness happens when you apply it to things you already kind of enjoy (a concept psychologists call flow—deep engagement that’s easiest to access when an activity is at least somewhat pleasurable). For me, cooking, walking, or savoring my morning coffee are natural entry points. With chores we might dread (looking at you, laundry), it’s perfectly fine to keep the podcast playing.

3. Insert mindful micro-pauses

You don’t need a 30-minute meditation cushion to feel the benefits of mindfulness. Just a few seconds of slowing down can reset your nervous system. Studies show that even very brief moments of mindfulness during the workday reduce stress and improve job satisfaction. Between tasks, pause for a deep breath, notice your feet on the floor, or simply let yourself exhale slowly before moving on. These “micro-breaks” are like refreshing your browser when it’s overloaded with too many tabs (a situation I know far too well).

4. Engage your senses

Our senses are powerful doorways into the present moment. It’s much easier to be mindful when you consciously tune into them: sipping a cup of steaming hot tea and noticing the warmth on your hands, stepping into a shower with an aromatherapy body wash and letting the scent ground you, or savoring the sound of birdsong on your morning walk. Sensory awareness anchors you in the here and now, while also turning ordinary moments into small rituals of enjoyment.

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5. Use natural anchors

One way to weave mindfulness into everyday life is to “piggyback” it onto something you already do. Behavioral scientists call this implementation intentions. For example: “If I brush my teeth, I’ll take three mindful breaths.” Or, “When I walk to the mailbox, I’ll notice how my feet feel on the ground.” Attaching mindfulness to routines makes it less of a chore and more of a natural rhythm.

6. Reclaim mealtimes as rituals

That window-side lunch reminded me that eating can be a grounding ritual instead of a background activity. Research on mindful eating shows it not only boosts enjoyment but also helps regulate appetite. You don’t need to transform every meal into a Zen retreat. Just try starting with your first three bites in silence, without screens or conversation. You’ll be surprised at the tone that sets for the rest of the meal.

7. Curate your digital environment

Let’s be honest: Our devices are engineered to hijack our attention. Even the sound of a notification can disrupt focus. This is something my daughter caught on to when she was just a toddler—she’d ask me (in her cute baby language) to put my phone away whenever she wanted me to focus on something she was saying or doing.

In fact, research suggests that just the presence of notifications—even when ignored—undermines concentration. A few small tweaks can go a long way: silence nonessential alerts, try “Do Not Disturb” during meals, or experiment with grayscale mode to make your phone less sparkly and tempting. The goal isn’t to ditch your device, but to make it less of a puppet master for your attention.

8. Practice “noticing new”

Psychologist Ellen Langer calls this technique mindful noticing—deliberately looking for novelty in the familiar. The way sunlight falls differently each morning, a subtle shift in a loved one’s expression, or the odd shape your coffee foam took today. You could even keep a small “noticing new” journal (writing this just made me want to start one myself).

A gentle reminder to close: Mindfulness doesn’t require perfection or hours of meditation. It’s simply about interrupting autopilot and rediscovering the richness of ordinary moments—like realizing that eating lunch by a sunny window can feel extraordinary.