How do I learn in an online environment... and remain focused, aware, and mindful?
In today’s rush, we all think too much—seek too much—want too much—and forget about the joy of just being.
- Eckhart Tolle
We live in an age of information. I am grateful for how accessible the poems I love are. But this ease of access to information in its various forms is also a distraction: social media, video games, and numerous Netflix shows are only ever a few clicks away. What are we to do against the constant bombardment of distractions? Since we cannot change our environment, we must find some way to strengthen ourselves against it: with mindfulness, we are able to change our state of mind, and thus, state of being.
But this “mindfulness” – what exactly is it?
I like to think of it as a remedy for the distractions that living in an age of information presents. By focusing only on the present, it is a way of creating your own little serene bubble not in your physical environment, but within your own mind. It helps to prevent the overwhelming feeling that we as students will sometimes experience, and also helps reduce our reactivity when put into high-stress environments, for example, when in a disagreement with a group member, or when receiving a mark that we are unsatisfied with. With mindfulness, we live in the moment, we live for ourselves, and we live unassuming yet unafraid.
Do I dare / Disturb the universe? / In a minute there is time / For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse.
- T.S. Eliot, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”
Sure, it sounds great to have the power to, in a moment’s time, “disturb the universe.” But what does mindfulness really do? And what’s in it for me?
Stressed about your essays? Anxious about your exams?
Mindfulness relieves stress and anxiety. As we all have experienced, while university is well worth the work and stress, it is sometimes inevitable that we are placed in these demanding, high-stress situations. For instance, in a study conducted by The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, they found that a group of people who were enrolled in a mindfulness program were less likely to experience symptoms of anxiety and depression, even if they were confronted with negative stimuli (I think, here, of my final essays that somehow inevitably pile up at the end of every semester).
Can’t concentrate on your readings? Zoning out in class?
Mindfulness can also help increase your focus. Studies show that individuals who practise mindfulness have an easier time focusing on tasks and avoiding distractions. For example, research in Consciousness and Cognition shows that when compared to the control group who did not practice mindfulness, study participants who practiced mindfulness had both higher attention spans and cognitive flexibility.
Forgetting things that you should (and need to) know?
Mindfulness can help improve your memory. And having a good memory (which can be strengthened by practicing mindfulness) is vital for performing well at school, especially in English, as we need to remember the names of various authors and pieces of writing, and of course, accurately quote quotations for bonus marks on those essay exams. A study in Psychological Science found that students can actually increase their short-term memory through mindfulness exercises. Also, that students practicing mindfulness were less distracted, and experienced improvements in their verbal reasoning. Why? Perhaps as Christine O’Shaughnessy, a former investment bank executive turned mindfulness instructor puts it:
“Doing mindfulness is like a fitness routine for your brain. It keeps your brain healthy.”
But how do we incorporate this "fitness routine for [our] brain[s]" into our busy student lives? Won’t it be just another thing we need to remember to do and make time for, you might ask? Trust me, mindfulness is something well worth making time for. And also, it might not be as hard as you think! For instance, to start off practicing mindfulness, you could try to take deep breaths (which will help slow down your mind and heart rate). When you start to feel overwhelmed by all the things you need to do, take deep breaths. Take it slow. Relax.
“Mindfulness is not about being positive all the time or a bubblegum sort of happiness — la, la, la... It’s about noticing what happens moment to moment, the easy and the difficult, and the painful and the joyful. It’s about building a muscle to be present and awake in your life.”
- Suzanne Westbrook, a retired internal-medicine doctor, who taught an eight-week program that focused on reducing stress.
Some other methods include taking a few minutes out of your day to maintain a gratitude journal, where you write down things you are grateful for or excited about. Write down what, in that very moment, makes you happy. This will help draw your focus away from negative feelings and instead direct your attention to the good things that are happening in your life.
Also, try to do one thing at a time, even if multi-tasking feels like the only viable option for completing all of your essays and assignments. Multitasking increases stress and reduces work efficiency.
Additionally, you could pay more attention to nature, which grounds you in the present moment. When you’re walking around our beautiful Western campus, look at the trees, the newly renovated buildings, the green grass (or hills of snow in the winter). Alternatively, if you're at home for this semester or year, feel free to look carefully and deeply at the environment that surrounds you, as if you're seeing it for the very first time.
And while it is useful hearing the opinion of a fellow Mustang (me!) on why and how mindfulness has worked, it might also be helpful hearing what the professionals have to say. Here are, respectively, Joseph Croskey, Director of the University Advising Services Center at the Clarion University of Pennsylvania, and Todd Braver, professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Radiology and Neuroscience at Washington University in St. Louis.
Introducing, an Expert Q&A from AC Online’s Guide to Mindfulness and Meditation!
Why is mindfulness important for college students?
Braver: College is a time of great transition. For most students, it’s when they are first expected to start acting like adults: living independently, deciding how to manage their unstructured time and dealing with the distractions and stresses of negotiating a hectic and often high-pressured academic environment.
Developing mindfulness practices and skills can be a great way to deal with the increased pressure and stress. Just like other skills and habits that can be developed to improve health and fitness, such as exercise, eating right and getting a good night’s sleep, mindfulness is a way of improving mental fitness.
Although the scientific data on the benefits of mindfulness are still accumulating, there have been numerous studies documenting its benefits on psychological health in many different types of individuals, including college students. These studies have demonstrated that mindfulness can be an effective skill for reducing anxiety and stress, controlling attentional distractions and improving overall psychological well-being.
Just as college is the time when students develop their career interests and explore various extra-curricular opportunities, it is also a fantastic time to try to develop a mindfulness habit, and to explore whether it provides good benefits.
How can students incorporate mindfulness into their daily routine?
Croskey: It’s like going to the gym to beginning an exercise regimen. Start where you are and practice (e.g., lift two lbs. for ten repetitions). After some time you will improve, then increase the weight and/or repetitions, diversify the exercises and you will get stronger.
The easiest way for students to begin a mindfulness practice is to pay attention to one cycle of breath, inhale and exhale, each day. Another way to practice focusing is to draw an X on a sheet of paper and keep their attention focused on the intersection of the X for one minute. When your mind wanders, gently return your focus on the X.
Alternatively, just sit for one minute and notice all sounds, near or far, always bringing your attention back to scanning for sounds. If they are curious, they can extend this focus on the breath, or another sensation (sound, feel of their feet on the ground, etc.) for up to ten minutes a day. If they find this beneficial, then they can incorporate longer practices, 20 to 40 minutes a day.
Further, students can be mindful, present of typical daily activities. For example, while showering, feel the sensation of the water, notice the smell of the soap, listen to the sounds. Also, while washing dishes, notice the feel of the warm, soapy water, listen to the splashes and clink of the dishes, notice the sensations on your hands. When your mind drifts off to planning or complaining the roommate isn’t helping, or other thoughts, bring your attention back to the dish in your hand.
Sounds great! But where do I start?
If you want to get started with mindfulness but don’t know where to start, I’ve included some resources here that you may want to explore:
- Mindful.org: a website with videos and articles on how to live with mindfulness, including articles such as “Mindful Education for Anti-Racist Allies” and “A Guided Practice to Connect with What Matters Now.”
- Pocket Mindfulness: a blog with various articles about mindful living, including “How To Use a Night Journal to Put Your Thoughts to Bed”, “What is Mindfulness? And How You Can Get Started Right Now”, and “How to Adapt to Change When You Want to Resist”.
- Calm: an app with guided meditation sessions and sleep stories to help you sleep easier and better.
- Buddify: an app with an easy interface and meant for use on-the-go.
Thanks for reading, and remember to take a few deep breaths!
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