In this post I’m sharing three simple ways to help you create more presence, focus and joy in your life:

Batch Your Distractions
The “Back to Now” Exercise
Daily Pockets of Presence

Being present is all about soaking up the now. It’s when our life comes alive, and we’re fully experiencing the joy and beauty of the moment. Our mind isn’t in the past or the future, and distractions seem to fade away.

But let's be real, staying present in our increasingly noisy and distracting world can be quite a challenge. It's so easy to slip into autopilot, where we're physically here but mentally miles away and caught up in distraction. And it can be SO difficult to break out of that pattern.

So today, I’m sharing three of my favourite exercises for bringing myself back into the present and crafting more meaningful moments in my day.

They're simple and sweet, and I hope you love them as much as I do.

One: Batch Your Distractions

It's all too easy to slip into this mindset when we hear a ding from our phone: “Oh I'll just peek at this message and then return to my task/activity after. It's no big deal.” But this seemingly harmless habit might be more disruptive than we realise.

These small distractions and quick message checks require task switching (or context switching) which means flipping from one activity to another back and forth. This requires your brain to constantly play catch up and recalibrate every time you attempt to refocus on your intended task.

This task switching makes it near impossible to be fully present in each activity you engage in. And it provides so many opportunities for your subconscious brain to go, “Well, since I'm here, I might as well check Instagram!” And we all know how easily that can lead us down a time-consuming, focus-draining rabbit hole.

Batching serves as our antidote by dedicating specific time blocks to similar tasks, thereby minimising task switching. For instance, you could:

designate a half-hour slot at lunch exclusively for checking and replying to emails
or, allocate a 15-minute window at 5pm for browsing Instagram after work.

By creating these intentional time containers for otherwise-distracting activities, you free yourself from thinking about these tasks until their allotted slot arrives. This allows you to dive deeply into each task (whether work-related or personal) and enhances your ability to be present and focused in the moment.

Is it foolproof? No. But it does make such a difference!

TRY THIS

Have a think about which screen time activities you could batch and try implementing one of them each day this week. Let me know how you get on!

Two: The “Back to Now” Exercise

Ever had one of those moments during a cosy movie night at home or a family dinner where you find yourself miles away, even though you're right there? Like when you're watching a movie, but you’re not actually watching the movie because you’re scrolling on your phone instead? Or maybe you find yourself getting lost in your thoughts, replaying something that happened earlier or worrying about something coming up, so you’re not able to enjoy the here and now?

In those moments when you catch yourself not fully engaging with a moment your really want to soak in, try this little exercise to bring yourself back into the present.

First off, take a deep breath. And put down anything in your hands; your phone or whatever it might be.
Then focus on one thing around you that makes you smile ~ anything in which you find beauty, joy or simple contentment.
1. It could be the sun streaming in the window, your favourite candle on the coffee table, or your kids playing over in the corner.
Once you’ve found your focus, say to yourself:

“I am safe, I am grateful, and this is a beautiful moment.”

Let that feeling of gratitude, calm and presence wash over you and breathe it all in.

So next time you find your mind wandering, or you’re feeling distracted, remember this little trick. It’s a simple way to bring yourself back to what truly matters.

Three: Daily Pockets of Presence

If you sometimes feel like your days are just passing by in a blur, this exercise is a perfect pause button.

The idea here is to sprinkle your day with beautiful, tiny rituals ~ little pockets of presence in your daily routine to help you pause, find joy and savour the moment. These act as little anchors throughout your day to bring you back to the here and now and fill your cup, almost like mini retreats.

And when I say mini, I mean mini! These aren’t things to spend lots of time on - they’ll be five, ten minutes or perhaps up to twenty depending on the activity (that’s up to you!)

Here are a few journal prompts to help you create your own:

1. Think about your current daily routines & habits.

Which parts of your day already give you that sense of presence and joy? Where you’re fully in the moment, undistracted and everything else fades away? Maybe it’s a quiet cup of coffee in the morning, an evening stroll, or reading in bed.

Reflect on your day-to-day and pinpoint those activities or moments that naturally anchor you in the present.

And if you can’t think of any, don’t panic! Think back to moments when you've felt that sense of presence in the past. Was it during a country walk? A coffee date with a friend? Whilst cooking a delicious meal?

Try to pinpoint what it was about those moments that filled you with joy and presence, and jot them down.

2. Now, think about how you can sprinkle more of these moments into your day.

If you already have a daily ritual that brings you joy and presence: is there a way you could savour it or romanticise it even more? Perhaps you could make the ritual longer? Or if it’s a morning ritual, could you bookend your day with another pocket of presence before bed?
If you find that moments of presence pop up occasionally but aren’t a daily thing yet: pick one that brings you joy and start weaving it into your daily routine. It could be as simple as bringing more intention to an activity you already do, like making breakfast. How could you elevate that moment and fully immerse yourself in it?
And if you’re wanting to add a new pocket of presence into your day: think about something that you’d love to make a daily ritual. Something that lights you up. It could be dedicating ten minutes to a good book each evening. Or setting aside some time to immerse yourself in a craft project that’s been gathering dust. Dream it up, and make it a part of your day.

THE RULES?

No technology or distractions ~ allow yourself the time and space to fully experience the moment.

Make them small and manageable ~ don’t go committing to a ten mile hike or 30 minutes of meditation every day! Just a pocket of 5 or 10 minutes is absolutely fine.

Oh, and make them FUN!

BONUS TIP: Set gentle reminders for yourself to engage in these activities. It could be a note on your fridge, an alarm on your phone, or a sticky note on the mirror. This will give you a gentle nudge to make these pockets of presence a regular part of your day.

So I really hope that all of these tips will help bring more presence and joy into your day. Let me know which you’ll try first in the comments below!

P.S. I have a free workbook for you sharing my simple clarity system that I use to refocus my life on the stuff that matters most and help me be more present. It also includes plenty of journal prompts to help you live with more intention. You can download it here.