With its roots in Buddhist meditation, mindfulness entails a moment-to-moment reflection, described as “a presence of heart” by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn. Mindfulness can be characterized by the Chinese character 念 as calligraphy for mindfulness, which composes the ideogram for presence (at the top) over the character of the heart (at the bottom).

Mindfulness has been becoming increasingly popular to help individuals soothe stress and stay more engaged in the present. Students who encounter academic pressure can incorporate mindful activities into their daily routines to calm yourselves, find concentration, and be more aware of the daily joy of your life. Examples of everyday mindfulness activities include:

• Mindful Walking. You can do it anytime, whether walking to the library, gym, canteen, or university steps. Focus on your breathing and connect to your body’s sensations.
• Mindful Eating. Mindful eating has improved psychological wellbeing and increased pleasure (Khan & Zadeh, 2014). Try to notice the flavour of the food and avoid eating while reading, studying, or viewing electronic devices.
• Say no to multitasking. Make a daily to-do list of your academic work and choose only one to do each time. Focus on it and remove possible distractions.
• Savouring. What will you be looking forward to on campus? Is it the upcoming concert on Friday? Lunchtime with friends in the canteen? It may be thought of sunset at dusk. Mindfully engaging in thoughts or behaviours that heighten the effect of positive feelings. Savouring includes anticipating, savouring the moment, and reminiscing (Bryant, 2003).

Are you mindful when reading this article? Or are you being mindless in counting your word account of your thesis while playing mobile phone and reading? Seize the present moment, and you may embrace unexpected concentration, joy, and calm. Give it a try and let us know how it works for you!