You’re whisking between appointments, getting home depleted after your commute, stretching time to stay connected with loved ones, and just barely reminding yourself to take that toilet break you needed an hour and a half ago.

Booking the time and space to create and experiment in an art therapy session can be a necessary and powerful experience, but might be a commitment that you’re not able to make right now.

Until you are able to take that next step, I want to meet you where you are now by offering you simple and accessible tools that you can build into your day to create pockets of quiet and space.

So, I put together 3 short, mindfulness-based exercises that you can do working with what you’ve got, from wherever you are – at home, the train ride or during your toilet-hideaway time – parents, I see you!
Each process involves tuning in and engaging on a sensorial level, working towards the same goal – mindfully slowing down.

Check in with yourself, and see which exercise might offer what you need in the moment. Give yourself about 5 to 10 minutes for each one. The more you repeat these exercises, the closer you will get to approaching a quieter space of being.

Tip: You can save the images on your phone or tablet to use these steps wherever and whenever you need.

1. Tea Drinking

Most of us rely on a warm drink to cater for our nervous systems. So why not pay attention to what’s happening on a sensorial level from when we’re preparing it to when we’re sipping away?

Rather than having our drink on the side of our laptops or books, let’s bring our ‘legally addictive stimulant’ to the centre for a while.
If you ordered your drink from somewhere else, just follow on from where you see fit.

2. Mark Making

Mark making is what it sounds like – making marks on a surface. This could be working with lines, making patterns, or just doodling.
For this you need: A sheet of paper and a pencil, pen or crayon.

Try to not be judgemental about what your mark does or doesn’t look like. Get that ‘should’ out of there! The aim is to slow down and work freely, with no object in mind.

This activity can be extended and expanded on, aiming to build an attitude of acceptance towards having an unfinished - and what you might categorise as an ‘imperfect’ - piece of work.

3. Playdough

If you have children at home or at work, chances are – there will be playdough!
All you need is a handful.

Playdough is an adaptable material that can withstand whatever force you need to apply to it. You can be gentle or use force. Let your body and hands communicate with each other and see what your body needs in the moment. Use the playdough to allow you to invite to what you need to your body or release from it.

This activity can also be done with a ball of clay, slime or even homemade dough.

I’d love to hear how you go! Feel free to leave a comment in the section below.
And if you know someone who could use some mindful pause, please do share it with them.

We could all use a little space of calm and quiet in our day.