From Chaos to Clarity: Why Mindfulness Benefits Us in a Fast-Paced World

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In today's fast-paced post-modern world, where productivity and efficiency are often highly prioritised, it is easy to become caught up in a whirlwind of tasks and responsibilities.  As we rush throughout the day from one obligation to another, we may inadvertently lose touch with our physical and emotional well-being.

I was reading one of the essays titled "How Mindfulness Works When It Doesn’t Work," from the book "The Issue at Hand: Essays of Buddhist Mindfulness Practice" where Gil Fronsdal writes,

If you are busily doing many things, the concern for getting things done can blind you to the tension building in the body and mind. Only by stopping to be mindful may you become aware of the tensions and feelings that are present.  (Fronsdal, 2008, p. 20)

Although it might sound obvious, I found this statement thought-provoking and agree with Gil Fronsdal. It made me stop and reflect on the myriad of moments if I find myself totally caught up in what I must do, lost in my head, and disconnected from my body, passing through the day as if I am on autopilot, ultimately ending up feeling exhausted and burned-out by the end of the day as if it flew by and I was not even there.  

This made me reflect on my own mindfulness practice and teaching and how small doses of mindfulness throughout the day might help counter the "adverse effects" of busyness to foster a deeper connection with ourselves and our surroundings as we go through our day.

This is not an easy thing to do, as busyness has become a hallmark of modern living. I would say that in this modern world, little value is placed on resting and being present as often busyness is worn as a badge of honour as if it were synonymous with success and purpose.

However, the constant rush to tick off items on our to-do lists can take a toll on our physical and mental well-being. It might result in the gradual accumulation of tension, and ultimately the mind may become overwhelmed with racing thoughts, anxiety, and stress. The irony is that the very actions we undertake to achieve our goals and fulfil our responsibilities can also ultimately lead to a disconnection from ourselves.  Why?

Because when we are preoccupied with tasks, our attention becomes fixated on external objectives, neglecting the internal landscape of our bodies and minds. This can result in an unawareness of building tension which can be detrimental in the long run if ignored, potentially resulting in physical ailments, emotional exhaustion, and decreased productivity (American Psychological Association, 2023; Taylor, 2015).  Further, this might also cause us to lose sight of our genuine feelings and the cues our bodies give us, leading to a misalignment between our actions and our authentic needs.

Gil Fronsdal's statement directs us towards mindfulness as a practice to help us in these situations.

Mindfulness is the art of being present and fully aware of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and the environment in the present moment, which is cultivated by mindfulness practice (Kabat-Zinn, 2013). You might say right now that you do not have the time to spend 30 to 45 minutes sitting on a chair or cushion to practice mindfulness.  You might be quite right, but that is not the only way to practice mindfulness. You can also practice mindfulness "informally" throughout the day.

This by finding opportunities through our day to pause momentarily from the constant doing to attune ourselves to the inner world.

This could be done through short informal mindfulness practices, which usually last from a few seconds to a few minutes, like the S.T.O.P practice, 3-minute breathing space, 2 feet 1 breath practice, and 3P's practice (Choden & Regan-Addis, 2018; Wolf & Serpa, 2015).

Also, Under the umbrella of informal practice is what are called mindfulness daily activity, where for a short time (from a few seconds to a minute or two), we apply mindfulness to something that we usually find ourselves doing in our everyday life (Choden & Regan-Addis, 2018). This could be brushing your teeth, while eating, going up or down the stairs, or drinking a cup of coffee/tea and while doing the activity, focusing on the sensations that arise within our experience like taste, touch, smells, sounds etc.

As busyness pervades our lives, remembering to include these small mindful pauses during our day can be the greatest challenge.  To help us overcome this, we can use what are called "mindfulness triggers", something that will act as a reminder to take a mindful pause (Choden & Regan-Addis, 2018).  Examples of mindfulness triggers could be leaving your favourite mug outside as a reminder to drink the coffee as a mindfulness activity or having a sticky note on your computer screen to take a 3-minute breathing space before you switch on your PC and start working.  

All the while remembering that while doing these short mindfulness practices throughout our day to encounter our experience and ourselves as we are with,      

A kind of nonelaborative, nonjudgmental, present-centred awareness in which each thought, feeling, or sensation that arises in the attentional field is acknowledged and accepted as it is.  (Bishop et al., 2004, p. 232)

With time this will help develop the capacity to observe our internal states without judgment allowing us to become aware of the tension building in our bodies and minds. For example, we may notice the clenching of our jaw, the tightening of our shoulders, or the rapid rhythm of our heartbeat. We may become aware of the emotional undercurrents—stress, worry, restlessness—that often accompany our daily routines. And when mindfully stopping acknowledging these experiences without trying to change or suppress them, we grant ourselves the space to process and respond to them more effectively.

Ultimately Mindfulness might encourage us to face our emotions honestly and openly, enabling us to make conscious decisions that align with our values and aspirations. Rather than being driven solely by external pressures and expectations, we are guided by an inner compass—a sense of purpose that emerges from self-awareness and clarity of mind.

While reminding yourself that although incorporating mindfulness into our lives might require some effort, dedication, and practice, it all begins with small steps, like taking a few minutes each day to sit quietly and focus on our breath or observing the sensations in our bodies during routine activities. And as we gradually nurture this practice, it starts to become an integral part of our daily routines, something that we start looking forward to, helping us maintain a sense of centeredness amidst life's demands.

References

American Psycholocical Association. (2023, March 8). Retrieved from Stress effects on the body: https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/body

Bishop, S. R., Lau, M., Shapiro, S., Carlson, L., Anderson, N. D., Carmody, J., . . . Devins, G. (2004). Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 11(3), 230-241. doi:10.1093/clipsy.bph077

Choden, & Regan-Addis, H. (2018). Mindfulness based living course. New Alresford: John Hunt Publishing.

Fronsdal, G. (2008). The issue at hand: Essays on Buddhist mindfulness practice (4tth ed.). United States of America: Insight Meditation Center.

Kabat-Zinn, J. (2013). Full catastrophe living: How to cope with stress, pain and illness using mindfulness meditation (Revised and updated ed.). New York, NY: Random House USA Inc.

Taylor, S. (2015). Health psychology (10th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.

Wolf, C., & Serpa, J. G. (2015). A clinician's guide to teaching mindfulness: The comprehensive session-by-session program for mental health professionals and healthcare providers. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.