Bryan Dijkhuizen

8 Rules for Better Mindfulness


Once you’re more mindful, you’re less stressed and lead a better life.

Still, too many people don’t do mindfulness. They think it’s not for them and they find it too farfetched to work.

Most of those people are from my parent’s generation and beyond, you can’t blame them. They’ve been conditioned for years and have no proper role models that can convince them to do so.

Of course, there are a lot of people that do like to be more mindful because it’s nothing more than having peace of mind and being genuinely happy with your life.

Here are 10 rules for better mindfulness.


1. You should have a consistent sleeping pattern

Sleep is very important.

Not only your physical health but also your mental health gets affected when you’re having low-quality sleep.

Patterns help.

When we sleep, our body regenerates energy and gets rid of negative energy as well. If you don’t get enough quality sleep, it makes sense that you’re getting grumpy.


2. Try conscious breathing

We’re all breathing, 24 hours per day, every day again.

But we don’t really notice anything of it because it’s an unconscious process that our body takes care of for us.

What if we start breathing more consciously?

Instead of just breathing, try to breathe a little slower and visualize your breath going in and out.

It’s a type of meditation that I really like and has benefited me a lot.


3. Daily meditation

As said previously, breathing is incredibly important for better mindfulness.

Daily meditation is a habit that you can implement very easily. Take a couple of minutes in the morning after you woke up to sit comfortably and breathe.

Now, if you feel like you need more breathing space, do it before you go to bed as well, it clears your mind and will improve the quality of sleep for you.


4. Exercise increases mindfulness

By exercising/working out you clear your mind.

It doesn’t really matter what you do. You can do push-ups, go for a walk, or run a couple of miles.


5. Cold shower therapy

Taking cold showers has been a hobby of mine for quite some time now and I must say that it did improve my mindfulness.

Not only because it increases your resilience to discomfort but also because it gives you an energy boost — the perfect thing to do after doing an intense workout.

Doing a cold shower every day for 1 or 2 minutes is enough to train your body.


6. Read more books

I’ve never read as many books as I did this week.

Reading books (especially those that are not informational) clears your mind, so right before you go to sleep, grab a book and read yourself to sleep.


7. Practise stoicism

By practicing stoicism, you can get so much calmer.

This brilliant philosophy allows you to see the things in life that matter and that you shouldn’t worry about the things you can’t control. It’s about taking control of your own life and that’s something that leads to better mindfulness in the long run.


8. Getting outside the house

We’ve been inside for almost two years thanks to some virus.

Now it’s time to get more mindful and get outside. Enjoying nature can be so relaxing. Sitting outside in a park or in the middle of nowhere and meditating is so nice.

I love to just sit while fresh air is blowing into my face.

Especially when you’re stressed, getting outside and going for a walk can be of massive impact.


Final thoughts

You should always keep in mind it’s important to stay as mindful as possible. It might sound a bit dogmatic but it’s nothing more than staying in good mental condition.

If you’re not mindful, you’re basically saying you don’t care about your mind.

Quick takeaways from this article:

  • Creating sustainable patterns like standard sleeping times and meditation moments allows you to feel much better.
  • Exercise is important and so is getting outside; combine those two and go for a walk every day.
  • Practice philosophies like stoicism to learn what’s important in life.

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