How to Practice Mindfulness While Studying?

 

Often, mindfulness is said to be the best way of meditation. While the commonly understood meaning of meditation requires you to be consciously in a state of no mind, not letting any thoughts or physical disturbances to disturb you in this process, mindfulness is completely removed from this traditional definition of mindfulness. The very fact that this can be practiced while going about the daily chores is something which makes it special and of mass appeal. Before elaborating on how students can use mindfulness while studying and improve their performances, it is important to brush up topic on being non-judgmental and/or aware while being mindful.

Mindfulness, Non-judgment and Awareness

The classic definition of mindfulness is to be aware of your thought, perceptions, feelings, sensations and activities without making any judgment about these. Mindfulness requires you not to think about whether the thought is right or wrong, but it requires you to just register its presence and let it pass by.

However, ensuring that you remain non-judgmental is itself an impediment to true mindfulness. So, it is sometimes said that you just have to remain aware of the thoughts, perceptions, sensations, emotions and feeling, whatever comes your way. No need to oppose. Just welcome everything, right or wrong, good or bad. By doing so you remain aware, judgmental or non-judgmental notwithstanding.

When you are looking for ways about how to be mindful in everyday life, studying is one activity which occupies most of the daily time of students. So, if you cultivate mindfulness meditation while studying, it can be a performance booster.

 

Application of Mindfulness While Studying

When you are studying, your mind is involved in the subject. You might think how can one remain mindful because you also have to gather what you are studying? The answer lies in the fact you wrongly mixing the thought that comes while studying with the awareness which is required for being mindful. Do study what you are studying. Do think what you have to think. Do feel the lifting of the pen, the writing on the paper, the turning of the page of the book. Feel the study. Be conscious and aware of every action you do. Do experience thought, feelings, perceptions which you gather while studying. Notice them all. Feel them all. Do not confront. Even if you have to say to yourself that this is right or wrong or there could be a better way of doing what you are studying, do not oppose these judgmental thoughts. Only be aware that you are thinking in this way. If you develop some emotion or feeling while studying, then let your awareness be there to know what you are feeling. Do not stop feeling. Be natural.

Studying might be an external activity being done but it has implications for the inner self. It is these implications which you have to remain aware of by being mindful. So, studying and mindfulness are not contrary to each other. These can happen simultaneously with regular practice. Once it becomes a habit, then assimilation of subjects being studied will grow stronger and this will improve your performance levels as well.