by Kaitlyn Ranze
I’m a chronic multi-tasker. I can’t just fold laundry. I have to fold laundry and watch t.v. Also, why have one burner cooking on the stove, when I can use four? I’m a mom, wife, an athlete, and a full-time start-up employee. I need to get $hit done.
Admittedly, that impacts the way I communicate, work, shop, and stress about life.
Oddly, the solution for how much I need to get isn’t speeding up. It’s actually slowing down and being mindful.
Here are eight benefits of mindfulness and how it can improve your relationship with money.
But first…
What is mindfulness, and how does it help?
Mindfulness is a practice that involves paying attention to the present moment, without judgment. It can be practiced in a number of ways, including mindfulness meditation, mindfulness breathing exercises, and mindfulness in everyday life. It aims to retrain the brain to focus on just one thing instead of mentally going down every rabbit hole.
Mindfulness has been shown to provide a host of benefits, both mental and physical. Below are 8 ways in which mindfulness can improve your life:
1. Helps to manage stress and anxiety
Mindfulness has exploded in popularity in recent years as a way to manage stress. And for good reason – mindfulness has been shown to be an incredibly effective way to deal with not just stress but also anxiety.
Techniques such as deep breathing and using your senses to shift your focus away from anxious thoughts and replaces the fight-or-flight reaction with the calmer rest-and-digest response.
In this way, mindfulness has been shown to be an incredibly effective way to manage stress and anxiety. In a study published in the journal Clinical Psychology Review, the study’s authors concluded that mindfulness “may help reduce stress and anxiety by increasing self-awareness and self-regulation.”
How stress impacts your relationship with money
When we’re under stress, we’re more likely to make impulsive decisions that can end up costing us money. We may overspend on unnecessary items, make impulse purchases, or rack up credit card debt. Additionally, stress can lead to decreased productivity and increased absences from work, ultimately leading to lost income..
2. Aids in concentration and focus
From notifications on your phones to sales signs in stores, everything around you is designed to get your attention. With so many things competing for your attention, it’s more important than ever to be able to focus and stay concentrated on the task at hand.
Studies have shown that mindfulness can help improve focus in two ways. First, mindfulness can help you to become more aware of your thoughts and emotions, which can in turn help you to better manage them. When you are able to better manage your thoughts and emotions, you are less likely to be distracted by them.
Second, mindfulness can help to increase your attention span. One study found that mindfulness training helped participants to better maintain their focus on a task, even when they were asked to do something else. This suggests that mindfulness may help you to stay focused even when there are other things going on around you.
Concentration and money
Improving your concentration can help you in many areas of your life, but it can be especially helpful when it comes to managing your money. When you’re mindful, you’re less likely to get distracted by thoughts about the past or future. This can be extremely helpful when you’re trying to manage your money, as it can help you stay focused on the present moment and make better decisions.
Mindfulness can also help you become more aware of your spending patterns. If you’re not paying attention to your spending, it’s easy to let it get out of control. But if you’re mindful of your spending, you’re more likely to be aware of when you’re spending too much or making impulsive purchases.
3. Can improve sleep quality
Mindfulness has been shown to be an effective way to improve sleep. A recent study found that mindfulness can help people fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly. The study found that mindfulness meditation helped people fall asleep an average of five minutes faster than those who didn’t meditate. And, the mindfulness group slept an average of 20 minutes longer than the control group.
Why practicing mindfulness to sleep better is important for money management
Sleep deprivation can have a significant impact on your spending habits.
Here are a few ways sleep deprivation can lead to poor money management:
1. When you’re exhausted, it’s difficult to make wise decisions about how to spend your money. Studies show you have less impulse control so you’re more likely to impulsively buy things you don’t need or to overspend on things you do need.
2. Lack of sleep exacerbates symptoms of stress and anxiety. When you’re stressed out, it’s harder to think straight and make good financial decisions.
3. Poor sleep can cause you to lose focus and be less productive at work. This can lead to missed opportunities for raises or promotions, and decreased income. All of this can add up to less money available to spend on things you want or need.
4. People who are sleep deprived are more likely to make poor choices about their health, including choosing unhealthy foods that can lead to negative costly outcomes
4. Reduces negative thinking and rumination
Rumination is a form of negative thinking that can impact not just the way you think and feel but also how you manage your money. When you ruminate, you focus on your problems and worries, dwelling on them instead of finding ways to solve them. This can lead to financial decision-making that is based on fear or anxiety, rather than logic or reason. Rumination can also lead you to make impulsive purchases, avoid investing or saving for the future, and make other decisions that are not in your best interest.
It’s normal to worry, but constant preoccupation with worry can become emotionally draining, interfere with our ability to enjoy life, be fully present, and bring our best selves to the task at hand.
Practicing mindfulness to combat rumination
Practicing mindfulness can be a great way to contain this. One practical way to do this is by scheduling worry time. Schedule a designated time each day to reflect on or write out your worries. Identify things you can’t control, and then identify the things you can control. Next, focus on a small action step to address one of your worries. .
This can help you to step out of the rumination cycle and see your thoughts from a different perspective. With the mindset check-in the Nav.it money app, you can log what you’re worried about every day.
If you find yourself ruminating about money, it is important to take a step back and practice a moment of mindfulness. Assess your thoughts and feelings. Try to identify any patterns of negative thinking, and challenge these thoughts with positive or realistic thinking. If you find that rumination is impacting your ability to manage your money, there are resources available to help you learn how to cope with this problem.https://blog.navitmoney.com/benefits-of-scheduling-time-to-worry-about-money/
5. Enhances self-awareness
Most people go through life on autopilot. They do the same things day in and day out without taking the time to reflect on their actions or how they’re feeling. This can lead to unhappiness and dissatisfaction with life.
Mindfulness is a technique that can help you become more self-aware.
But what exactly is self-awareness? And how does mindfulness improve it?
Self-awareness is the ability to see yourself clearly. This includes understanding your strengths and weaknesses, being aware of your emotions and how they affect your behavior, and recognizing when you need to make changes in your life.
Mindfulness helps you develop self-awareness by teaching you to pay attention to your thoughts and feelings in the present moment. When you’re mindful, you’re not judging or analyzing yourself. You’re simply observing your thoughts and feelings as they happen.
This can help you become more aware of how you’re feeling in any given moment and why. For example, if you notice that you’re feeling angry or frustrated, mindfulness can help you understand why that is and what you can do about it.
6. Promotes healthy eating habits.
I’m a snacker when I’m bored. Before I realize it, bags of popcorn and containers of almonds are gone. I also sometimes plop myself in front of the t.v. and stuff myself to the gills. I’m not alone. 66% of Americans report mindless eating or eating in front of the television. And there’s a serious downside to this. When you’re distracted while eating, you’re more likely to eat more food than while eating mindfully.
According to several studies, mindfulness leads to healthier eating habits and improved overall health.
There are several ways to practice mindfulness when it comes to food. One way is to simply pay attention to what you are eating. Notice the colors, textures, and flavors of the food. Another way to practice mindfulness is to eat slowly and mindfully. Chew each bite of food carefully and pay attention to how the food makes you feel. Lastly, avoid multi-tasking. Turn the t.v. off, avoid eating in a car, and tune into your plate off food.
7. Increases relationship satisfaction
I ruin conversations by not being mindful. Instead of being in the moment, my mind often wanders to “what-ifs” and things I need to get done completely unrelated to the conversation.
Mindfulness practice can help us become more aware of our own thoughts and feelings, as well as those of our partner. This increased awareness can help us to understand each other better and to resolve conflicts more effectively. Mindfulness can also help us to connect with our partner more deeply, both emotionally as well as make us more accepting of our partner’s quirks and flaws, helping us forgive more easily. Mindfulness can help us to become more patient and less reactive, which can lead to a more peaceful and harmonious relationship.
So, how can you practice mindfulness in your relationships?
Here are some tips:
- Make a conscious effort to be more present when you are with others. This means putting away your phone, making eye contact, and listening attentively.
- Try not to judge or criticize others. Accept them for who they are.
- Be compassionate and understanding. Empathize with others and try to see things from their perspective.
By practicing mindfulness, we can create relationships that are more meaningful, supportive, and positive.
8. Saves money!
This practice can help you become more aware of your spending habits and make better choices when it comes to your money.
Here are a few ways that mindfulness can help you save money:
1. Mindfulness can help you stay focused and avoid distractions. When you’re mindful, you’re less likely to be swayed by advertising or impulse buys.
2. Mindfulness can help you become more aware of your spending patterns. By taking a moment to reflect on why you’re spending money, you may be able to make changes that save you money in the long run.
3. Mindfulness can help you practice patience and restraint. When you’re mindful, you’re more likely to wait for a good deal before making a purchase.
4. Mindfulness can help you connect with your emotions. If you’re feeling stressed or anxious, mindfulness can help you understand and manage your emotions in a healthy way. This can prevent you from making impulsive decisions that may not be in your best interests.
5. Mindfulness can help you focus on your goals. When you’re mindful of your financial goals, you’re more likely to make choices that align with those goals.
By taking a few minutes each day to focus on your thoughts and feelings, you can become more mindful of your spending habits and make choices that are better for you and your wallet.
Start practicing mindfulness
So, there you have it! Eight benefits of mindfulness that can improve your life in a variety of ways. If you are looking for a way to reduce stress, improve focus or sleep quality, or just want to be more aware of your thoughts and emotions, mindfulness is a great option!
Related Reads:
How Tracking Your Money Can Reduce Stress and Save Money
How to Practice Money Mindfulness with Expense Tracking
How Stress Impacts Spending, Saving, and Investing Habits and What to Do About It
Defining Your Relationship with Money
Financial Benefits to Schedule Time to Worry About Money
Why You Need to Improve Your Relationship with Money
How Your Childhood Impacts Your Relationship with Money
Type of Relationships with Money
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