Nowadays we are always ‘on’. Can you remember the last time you were actually bored and didn’t have to get creative to resolve it. You just take out your phone, ipad, turn on the tv and are ready for an instant solution to your boredom.

But sometimes it's good to just sit back and observe the world around you, without constant information input. Being mindful is something you grow into. And it usually starts with getting used to being a bit bored.

Turn of your social one day a week

It’s difficult to start being bored. Taking out our phones is an addiction. We do it all the time, everywhere. But start by promising yourself that one day a week you will not look at your social channels at all. You’ll probably find it difficult to leave that phone alone, so perhaps start with an evening where you put away your phone on silent in a different room, so you can fight the temptation to keep looking. Sometimes it's time to shut the social down and re energize yourself. You should be able to recognize these moments. Take a step back and regain some energy without getting stuck in a rut scrolling through social channels.

Have the inner peace to do nothing

When I grew up there were no cell phones, let a lone smartphones. Standing in lines, meant actually standing in a line. You would usually start a conversation with the person in front or behind you and get to know their views on the world. The same goes for sitting in public transportation or waiting for the bus. To start using your phone less as a distraction, try not using it in a ‘waiting’ situation at least two times per day.

Are you in line at your favorite coffee shop? Ask the person behind you what they are getting and why? Perhaps this will be your introduction to the best type of coffee you ever had. Or you’ll know what never to get again.

Start reading books, take them wherever you go, so that instead of looking at your phone or a tv, you can grab your book and lose yourself in an imaginary world, or interesting life-story.

You should be able to do any of these without the feeling you have to do something. Sometimes it's good to just sit back and observe the world around you, without constant information input.

The power of silence

Ever had a conversation that seems to be like dying a slow death. The ones where the silences grow longer and harder and you are secretly trying to get out of. Don’t worry most people get super awkward during silences in a conversation, however if you are at ease with yourself and your surroundings, there would be nothing awkward about it. The power of silence is immense. So try to develop it.

It will be difficult. Most people have no idea what to do when there is silence. Develop this strength by staying silent in a conversation for a whole minute. Don’t say anything, just listen and process. Don’t feel the need you need to response (because usually there is no response needed, but people just blurt out solutions or similar experiences for the sake of being part of the conversation). The only way a silence becomes awkward is when you decide it’s awkward.