Staying present is not something that everyone finds easy, but it is something that everyone should learn to do. Staying present helps us to live in the moment and focus only on the now rather than excessively worrying about what is out of our control.

When we stay present, we are not only happier but also able to complete work more effectively. In the care industry staying present is crucial. Failure to do so could lead to mistakes being made and a poor care experience for those you are supporting. So, what can you do to stay present and be a better carer and person?

How to stay present:

The most important thing you can do for yourself to stay present is to remember that you do not need to try and rush through life, everyone goes at their own speed and not completing tasks as quickly as others is not necessarily a bad thing. However, creating a routine for tasks that have a deadline could help you to not only stay present but also make you feel more content with your working life. To do this it’s a good idea to reflect on your goals and remember why you started. So, how did you start? Write down your answer and put it somewhere you look at regularly.

Another great way to help you stay present is to make commitments and you could even share what they are to others so that they can give you the push you need when and if you need it. Making commitments allows you to ground yourself in the moment, it forces you to look at what you need to do and evaluate how you will complete the commitments you have made.

Plan ahead, by coming up with a plan for the day or week or month or year, whatever you may choose, it could really help you with staying present, not only at work but in your home life as well. In fact, all of the advice in this article can be demonstrated within any aspect of your life. Creating a plan allows you to focus on what you want to achieve; it allows you to be prepared so that what’s important to you is prioritised.

Remember to notice your surroundings, this is perhaps the one thing that everyone should try their best to do when struggling with staying present. There is a grounding technique used by many people who struggle with anxiety called the 5-4-3-2-1 technique. It makes you focus on what’s around you by using your 5 senses instead of getting trapped in your own thoughts. It’s a great technique to use to make yourself gradually come back to the present. You can do this trick by asking yourself…

• What can you see? Look around you and name 5 things that you can see. Really focus on the detail, this could be the shape of a cloud, the colour of a car, an object in your house or at work.
• What can you touch? Touch 4 What do your clothes feel like? What about a wall? Find any object close to you and spend time just touching it.
• What can you hear? Try your best to focus on 3 things you can hear. Maybe you can hear the sound of a car going past, someone laughing, birds singing. Just close your eyes and listen to what’s around you.
• What can you smell? Name 2 things that you can smell. Is it a good smell or is it a bad smell? If you feel like you can’t smell anything, try and sense what the air around you smells like or you smell like.
• What can you taste? Name 1 thing that you can taste. Have you had anything to eat or drink recently, can you still taste it? What does it taste like?

Remember not to rush this process and repeat it as many times as needed. Become aware of your body and its surroundings.

Reconnect, take some time out of your day to reconnect. After a busy and stressful day, reconnecting can be the comfort you need, and this means something different for everyone. Maybe it means spending time by yourself, setting a limit on technology, calling an old friend or someone you haven’t spoken to in a while. Whatever it is, just make sure that it’s healthy and it helps you to stay present.

Stay grateful, staying grateful is a really good and effective way to help you to stay present. If you’ve followed the above step and reached out to someone you haven’t spoken to in a while it could be nice to then take some time and write down 3 things that you are grateful for after experiencing talking to someone you lost touch with. How did it go? Do you feel good about the conversation? How has this connection changed your day?

Acknowledge the bad parts of your day and face any worries that you may have so you are able to stay present through all areas of your life, to not only allow for a better experience in work but also of existence as a whole. Giving you many benefits within your healthcare career.