Easy Mindfulness for Mums Who Don’t Have Time to Meditate
- Nina Visic
- Mar 26
- 7 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
You’ve heard about mindfulness. You know the benefits of mindfulness. But as a busy (and tired) mum, the thought of spending even just 10 minutes meditating seems more than you can give right now.
Easy mindfulness for mums can feel impossible when your day is already full of noise, mess, and constant demands.
I have some good news for you my friend!
Mindfulness does not always equal meditation.
This blog post will explain to you:
Why meditation feels impossible for busy mums
Why you don’t need to meditate to be mindful
Why mindfulness is easier than meditation for mums
5 easy mindfulness practices for busy mums
How to stay calm as a mum when you feel overwhelmed
I’m Nina, a mindful parenting and mindfulness coach. When my third son was born I was a struggling mum who had no idea how to calm my mind. I was overwhelmed, tired and felt like there was no way out.
I discovered mindful parenting and haven’t looked back.
Mindfulness has changed my life – not because I started meditating for 30 minutes every day, but because I embraced easy mindfulness in a way that became part of my day to day life instead of adding more to it!
Why meditation feels impossible for busy mums
Jon Kabat-Zinn, the man credited with bringing mindfulness into the mainstream medicine, defines mindfulness as “awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgementally,’’[1]
But what does this actually mean?
I like to define mindfulness as noticing what is happening in the right here, right now. Whether this be noticing our thoughts, sensations in our body, or tuning into one (or all) of our five senses.
Meditation can be seen as a ‘formal’ mindfulness practice. We are allocating a portion of our time to meditate. To sit (or stand or lie down) in silence and pay attention to the here and now. All our other tasks and responsibilities fall by the wayside while we are meditating.
Now for mums, especially mums with small children, finding time to finish a hot cup of coffee is a challenge, let alone time to ‘meditate’.
Not only that, the mental load placed on mums is huge, and in my experience, the benefits of spending 10 minutes meditating are quickly outweighed by the guilt that comes with not having done insert boring chore here.
For more information on the benefits of mindfulness listen to Episode 2 of Your Calm Parenting Path.
For this reason, even though many mums want to meditate, they simply don’t have the time, or the capacity or the bandwidth to dedicate even just a small portion of their day to meditation.
This is why mindfulness for busy mums needs to look different than traditional meditation - easy mindfulness for mums should fit into daily life, not add more pressure.
So…. What can be done?
If you’re feeling so overwhelmed that even the idea of slowing down feels impossible, you don’t have to figure it out on your own. Sometimes talking through what’s going on with someone who understands can make a huge difference.
I offer SOS Parent Support calls for mums who are feeling stuck, overwhelmed or constantly on edge, where we focus on what’s happening right now and find simple ways to help you feel calmer straight away. |
But first, let’s look at why mindfulness doesn’t have to mean meditation.
Why you don’t need to meditate to be mindful
If we go back to the earlier definition of mindfulness, you will see that there is nothing in that definition which states we need to sit (or stand or lie down). All we need to do is pay attention to the present moment with kindness and curiosity.
If meditation is the ‘formal’ practice of mindfulness, then ‘mindful moments’ are the ‘informal’ practice of mindfulness – it’s the ‘easy’ form of mindfulness.
Mindful moments will show you the same benefit as meditation, because you are doing the same action just in a different situation.
Newsflash – you can be mindful even if you’re knee deep in toddler tantrums, school refusal or sibling arguments!
You can be mindful even while you are feeding your child, pushing the pram or helping your child build Lego.
This is why mindfulness without meditation can be more realistic for overwhelmed mums - simple mindfulness exercises done during the day can be just as powerful as formal meditation.
Why mindful moments are easier than meditation for mums
It’s pretty simple – mindful moments are easier than meditation for mums because they revolve around what mums are already doing.
There is no need to learn anything new.
There is no need to find more time in an already busy life.
There is no need to add anything to your to do list.
Easy mindfulness for mums works best when it becomes part of your daily routine. So, simply choose ONE activity that you do every day.
For example:
Brushing your teeth
Washing dishes
Feeding your baby
Washing your hair
Drinking coffee
Scrolling Facebook
Walking to the letter box or to school
Listening to music
While you are doing this action, I invite you to make the choice to be mindful.
What does this mean?
Focus on what is happening right now while you are completing this task.
What can you see?
What can you smell?
What can you touch?
What can you hear?
What can you taste?
Are there any sensations in your body?
What are you feeling right now?
These short mindfulness exercises can be done while you are already doing everyday tasks, which makes them perfect for busy mums.
5 easy mindfulness practices for busy mums
I’ve already given you a few examples above, but here are my favourite ways to incorporate mindfulness to your already busy day.
One - When you wash the dishes.
There is no getting around washing dishes. Even if you have a dishwasher, there are times when you have to rinse/stack/empty that you can use this tool for as well.
When you turn the tap on, feel the sensation of the water running over your hands.
Smell the dish soap and think about whether you like the smell or you don’t like the smell.
Observe what you can hear. The water? The kids? The TV? No judgement about what you hear (even if your kids are arguing) just notice the sounds.
Two - When you are brushing your teeth
Focus on the smell of the toothpaste.
Feel the sensation of your toothbrush brushing over your gums and your teeth.
Have a look around your bathroom and see if you can notice something you haven’t noticed before – a bit more dust on the floor than usual, a nice pattern in your tiles, one of your earrings sitting on your bench.
Three - When you are feeding your baby (whether in your arms or at the table)
Focus your attention on their hair – the colours, the texture, the way their hair falls. If possible, can you stroke their hair and feel the strands under your fingers
Spend time really tuning in to your emotions – what are you feeling right now? Happy, sad, tired, exhausted, grumpy.
Again, remember the definition of mindfulness – no judgement. If you feel grumpy or sad, allow that feeling to be there.
Four - When you are drinking a coffee
Feel the warmth of the mug in your hands. Focus on the flavour of the coffee, is it sweet/bitter/milky or something else? Observe the temperature of the coffee in your mouth, swirl it around a little. Notice the sensation of swallowing and feel the warmth spread down your throat.
Five - When you’re scrolling Facebook (or Instagram, or TikTok)
Take the time to really look at the images. Notice the colours, the faces, the words. Read one of the posts and think about it in earnest. Did it make you laugh? Did it make you feel worried or angry? Did you enjoy it?
Experiencing mindful moments is a surefire way to incorporate mindfulness without adding another thing to do to your list.
How to stay calm as a mum when you feel overwhelmed
When you practice mindfulness regularly, it becomes easier to stay calm as a mum even during stressful moments.
Mindfulness for overwhelmed mums is not about being perfect - it’s about having small tools you can use when things feel too much.
These mindful moments help to strengthen your mindfulness muscle so that you are able to stay calmer for longer, but sometimes in the middle of real life parenting, it can still feel hard to slow your mind down on your own.
If you ever feel like you need extra support to work through overwhelm, anger or constant stress, you can book an SOS call with me where we focus on what is going on for you right now and find simple ways to help you feel calmer straight away.
Conclusion
Easy mindfulness for mums doesn’t have to mean sitting in silence for 20 minutes a day or finding time you simply don’t have.
Instead, easy mindfulness for mums is about using the time you already have in a more aware and gentle way.
Real life with kids is loud, messy, busy and unpredictable - and that’s exactly why simple mindfulness tools work so well.
When you learn how to bring mindful moments into things you are already doing, you can feel calmer, more patient and more in control without adding another task to your to-do list.
The goal isn’t to become the perfect calm parent.
The goal is to give yourself small moments of awareness during the day so that overwhelm doesn’t take over.
Start with just one mindful moment today.
One cup of coffee.
One nappy change.
One school pickup.
Small moments done often make a huge difference.
If you want more simple, realistic tools to help you stay calm as a mum, you can listen to my podcast Your Calm Parenting Path, where I share practical mindfulness and calm parenting strategies for busy mums who don’t have time for complicated routines.
Or, if you ever feel like you need extra support to work through overwhelm, anger or constant stress, you can book an SOS call with me where we focus on what is going on for you right now and find simple ways to help you feel calmer straight away.
You don’t need more time.
You just need easier ways to be present in the time you already have.
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