Living In The Moment

_{Living in the moment - Image source: images}

Introduction

‘Carpe diem', 'live in the present ', 'enjoy the moment', we all have said this to someone or even to ourselves a lot of times. We have seen a number of posters, billboards, Instagram posts and so many other things asking us to be present in the now but have we really been able to follow? It is so easy to read about the power of now but so difficult to practice it when our mind keeps running over thoughts of past and future.

Why is it necessary to live in the present?

"The present time has one advantage over every other - it is our own."-- Charles Caleb Colton

What we have now will be gone the very next moment. If we don't make the most of the time we have now, we will become slaves of it. Our mind is constantly hovering between the thoughts of past and future. We don't realise this but not living in the present makes us lose control over our life. It is obvious to have moments where we need to look back on our lives or think about what the future might hold but these should be taken for what they are.

_{Live in the moment quote - Image source: images}

A study shows that most of the people spend almost half of their lives overthinking about the past or the future.

Lingering in the past won't change a thing and being anxious about the future will not help in any way. When our mind is continuously ruled by the thoughts of past and future, we become oblivious to our present. Continuously being in the future or past stresses us out.

Related: benefits of living in the present

How to live in the present?

Being in the moment is the only way you can enjoy your life and become aware of yourself and those around you. These few tips can help you to be present at the moment:

1) Be here: Though we are present in a situation physically our mind is wandering somewhere far away from the current scenario. Whether it's completing a presentation or having a conversation our mind is partially present there. We keep thinking of what we did before or what we will do after this. It is better to put all our attention at the moment. Whenever your mind starts wandering, give a shake to your head, this will bring you back to the present situation.

Related: paying attention to your surroundings

2) Don't multitask: Multitasking is so much needed in this busy world but the truth is it steals from us the essence of now. Multitasking doesn't let us focus on one thing, we keep switching our mind from one task to another, not being able to be completely present in either of them. Single-tasking helps us to be fully aware of what we are doing and leads to a better understanding of the task.

Related: 11 ways to avoid multitasking focus more each day

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3) Take breaks: If you are going to be engrossed in a task for too long, you will lose the capacity and interest. It has been proven that the mind loses its capacity to focus after focusing for a certain period of time. So, you will be completely absent from that moment and task.

Related: you are taking breaks the wrong way

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4) Spend time alone: Spending time alone, focusing on our thoughts and surroundings has more benefits than can be thought of. Solitude helps us become more mindful to the surroundings and helps us become aware of ourselves. Meditation can be a better way of spending time alone. Meditation helps to improve focus and concentration.

Related: 7 science-backed reasons you should spend more time alone

_{Power of solitude - Image source: lifeoptimizer}

5) Focus on details: Focusing on the details is a really great technique to be in the present. Focusing on the little things around you helps you to be more aware of the present moment. It doesn't let your mind drown into the thoughts of the past and the future.

Related: pay attention to detail

Psychologists have proved that people are the happiest when they are attentive to the current situation.

"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate the troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly." -- Buddha