How To Be Present (Stop Your Brain From “Time-Travelling”)

If you’re reading this now, being posted on Christmas Eve, there’s a good chance you’re thinking about tomorrow. And not just thinking about it, but placing yourself there already. Instead, what about being in this moment, right now? And later, be in that moment, then, fully present?

Presence of mind

Being “present” is being here in the current moment, and we will preface this by saying that it is not realistic—or healthy—to be present all the time because we also need space for planning, reflection, and creativity.

Most of the time, however, being present supports greater happiness, faster learning, lower stress, better mental health, closer relationships, and a deeper sense of fulfillment because life only happens in the present moment. In particular, rumination about the past, worry about the future, and daydreaming pull attention away from the present, partly due to differences in how the brain’s default mode network functions.

To improve on this (in the moment!), grounding exercises such as 4:4 breathing*, sensory awareness, physical sensations, temperature changes, or taste can shift attention back into the present moment.

^{*4 seconds in, hold for 4 seconds, 4 seconds out, hold for 4 seconds}

To improve on this (more generally), meditation and yoga help strengthen the ability to bring attention back when it wanders, making presence easier during everyday moments.

You’ll recall we mentioned that we do need some non-presence, as for example when planning, butgetting tasks and goals out of your head and into an external system can reduce mental load and make it easier to stay present with people and activities.

On which note, on a social level, a great tip is that turning passive activities into active ones—reading aloud, pausing to discuss, asking questions, or doing activities together—helps maintain engagement and presence. For many people,combining conversation with movement or hands-on activities can make presence easier, though what works varies between individuals, so go with what works for you.

For more on all of this, enjoy:

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Want to learn more?

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Take care!