Remember then: there is only one time that is important—now! It is the most important time because it is the only time when we have any power.

-Leo Tolstoy

Have you ever been in a situation where you were so zoned in into your work, and suddenly your mind wanders elsewhere that’s totally irrelevant? Often times we get so caught up in our busy schedules when in reality, all the solutions to our so-called problems are actually right in front of us the whole time.

As a digital entrepreneur, it’s always a daily challenge to stay focused and not think about the past or the future. We find ourselves in an endless cycle of what could, should, and will be….

You may find yourself thinking about results when you are still halfway through a project. Or you might work late nights knowing it can be completed tomorrow. All these thoughts take you away from being present, hurting your productivity and performance.

Regardless of where you are in your journey, being aware of your present moment will help you become more mindful, self-aware, or conscious.

To be mindful is to take care of your mind, soul, and body. It helps you reduce stress, increase focus, boost memory, and so much more.

Practicing to become more present takes a bit of skill and commitment, but it’s definitely doable.

It may seem hard at first, but with practice, you will be in a better state of mind. Don’t beat yourself up if you keep slipping into your endless thoughts. Think of it as working out! The more reps you perform being mindful, the more you will get better at it.

Let’s look at what it means to be present.

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• How To Activate Your Creative Flow
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What Does Being Present Mean?

To live in the present means that your mind accompanies you with your physical self. Our body takes us through all our usual routines throughout the day like it’s on autopilot, but our minds usually drift and wander, making it a challenge to pay attention to tasks. This often stems from boredom, stress, or being preoccupied with random thoughts.

We live in a modern world where our attention spans are getting worse, and our minds constantly need that dopamine hit.

These dopamine hits often come from social media, movies, or a plethora of information, all available through a click of a button.

And especially, being a digital entrepreneur, it’s tempting to consume an overload of information and signals, because of the fear of missing out (FOMO).

We compare our results to that of others. We wish we could have worked on things a different way. We always feel left behind when in reality, we are exactly where we are supposed to be and on and on….in a never-ending cycle, right?

I’ve learned the hard way that if we take a couple of moments from our busy lives and understand the value of being present, we keep ourselves grounded in what matters NOW rather than living in the past or future.

For example, if you go out for a run, that feeling of your feet striding and stomping on the ground, the sounds you hear from your breathing, and the noise of the wind breezing. All of these sensations are the “now.” Not the feeling when you cross the finish line. It’s being appreciative of the fact that you are running.

Let’s look at the benefits of what being present offers.

1. Being More Grateful For The Little Things In Life.

One of the greatest benefits of practicing present awareness is being more appreciative of life.

Being still and mindful of the present helps you realize that not everything is as bad as it seems and have immense gratitude for what you have.

In your everyday life, you stop judging and labeling things or people around you, and everything starts to feel more interesting and exciting.

All the stuff that usually feels common and boring sparks fascination and something to appreciate. You feel like a kid, discovering things with a fresh set of eyes

2. Improved listening skills

Being present also improves your social skills and relationships. Instead of getting distracted in your head or on your phone, you become a better listener and genuinely take an interest in the other person’s conversations.

You stop thinking about what to say, and words naturally flow from your mouth. The same goes with relationships. You stop focusing on your partner’s mistakes and what they should be doing. You become more appreciative of them and enjoy all the little moments spent together.

Especially as a coach, service provider, or freelancer, having great listening skills is absolutely essential in order to provide good results.

3. Greater Motivation, Focus, And Flow

Being present contributes to having greater motivation and energy levels to achieving your goals since you get to focus more on the journey rather than the results. This is great, especially if you are in the creative space and you enter a state of flow where things just come to you naturally.

4. Being More Aware Of Your Intuition

When you become more present, you also heighten your gut instincts.

So it becomes easier for you to listen to your inner gut, and notice when something just feels “off”, which is crucial when making important business decisions.

5. Decrease Burnouts

Especially being a digital entrepreneur, your to-do list is endless and if you don’t actively protect your leisure time, the workday really never ends.

However, when you become more present in the moment and listen to your body, it will be so much easier for you to understand when to stop and take a break when it’s time for a much-needed rest.

Before we dive deeper into how to become more present, let’s look at why in today’s modern age, it isn’t practiced enough.

Why Is It Difficult To Live In The Now?

We live in a society that’s over-saturated with information, with so many signals and so many distractions. It’s just hard to keep up.

As digital entrepreneurs, we constantly look for the next best tactic to grow our businesses, a new course to achieve a six-figure income, to look at all those success stories of other entrepreneurs that “made it”…

If I was to point the finger to blame someone, I would answer the thing we love most: social media.

All those apps and websites are designed to be addictive and keep your attention. But with our attention spans declining, apps like TikTok and Instagram have rolled out features like reels and short video clips to keep viewers hooked on these apps.

Scrolling the feeds endlessly consumes so much of your mental bandwidth and keeps you from being present. You can witness this in real life. Walk into any café or restaurant, and you will find people spending more time on their phones rather than having their food or meaningful conversations.

Living in the moment when times are tough or when hit with harsh realities can also be extremely difficult as well. With a pandemic, a war, and an economic crisis happening simultaneously, the news notifications just. never. stop. And so, our mind goes into defense mode to try and stay away from painful experiences by disassociating from reality itself.

How Can I Practice To Be More Present?

Well, my friend, I’m glad you asked 🙂

There are several ways to be present in your day-to-day life. Here are some lessons that have worked for me to stay grounded over the years.

What worked for me, might not work for you. So go ahead and try some of them to figure out which ones work best for you.

1. Yoga

Practicing yoga can help harmonize the body and mind into self-awareness. All the poses and movements are purpose-driven to make one discover the tensions in their body and release them.

In addition, bringing awareness into the movements helps with the ability to control the mind.

When you commit fully, and the body and mind start to work in unison, the movements will seem effortless over time and you’ll be impressed with how your concentration skills improve.

No wonder, even centuries later, yoga is still practiced today!

2. Meditation

If I were to choose one form of practice for presence, it would be to meditate.

Let’s get real for a sec: the excuse “I don’t have time to meditate” is just BS.

Everyone has access to meditation if they so choose to. Even 5 – 10 minutes of daily meditation sessions are a great way to start with.

Whether it’s a youtube video, a meditation podcast, or an app, there are plenty of options to choose from.

Meditation helps with stress, anxiety, depression, improved sleep, and most important of all, mindfulness.

The whole purpose is to tune into your body and notice all the different sensations without judgment.

Especially now, in a world where critical thinking, creativity, and decision-making are required, meditation can help tap into those skills even in times of crisis. Engaging in such an activity helps us face challenges in more calm and creative ways.

Some of the best times to meditate are in the mornings and before bedtime. Over time you will witness starting your day with open awareness and look at the world with endless possibilities and less judgment.

Some of the guided meditation apps that I’d highly recommend are Medito, Calm, and Headspace.

3. Full Body Scan

Just like meditation, scanning your whole body involves analyzing your body for any feelings of pain or any physical sensations and then releasing them. This meditation technique focuses more on addressing chronic pain or stress in the body.

Imagine coming home from a long day at work, or you’ve been at your desk all day; most will probably neglect any form of physical pain and try to push through. Taking a moment from your hectic day and doing a small session of a full body scan meditation will bring awareness of your physical condition.

4. Avoid Your Phone

Try to avoid using your phone as much as possible. I already talked about how social media addiction can be detrimental to mental health. In addition to social media, using your phone constantly for several hours can put a lot of strain on your eyes.

Studies have shown that avoiding the usage of the phone couple of hours before bedtime can help improve sleep, reduce anxiety and wake up the next day in a good mood. With practice, you also become less distracted and can perform deep work without interruption.

5. Journal As A Digital Entrepreneur

Gratitude journaling is becoming a forgotten ritual. A practice backed by science, taking time to reflect on what you are thankful for helps us to stay grounded. And what better way than to journal about it on a daily basis.

It has proven to increase positivity because you focus on the good things in life and look forward to better things to come. It helps you to be grateful for what you have and not chase what you don’t. The positive effects may not be immediate, but after several weeks or even months, you will notice that your mind is more in tune to express gratitude.

Other benefits include better physical and mental health, humility, and patience.

I would highly recommend enrolling in the Science of Well-Being course from Yale University. And it’s free!

6. Taking Regular Breaks

Researchers have shown that even the most productive individuals stay focused for a maximum of 4-6 hours. Working more hours than our bodies are capable of will only produce mediocre results. Which is why when you feel like you can’t take it anymore, it’s time to take a recess from your ongoing tasks. Not only will you get back to your work feeling fresh, but you will also finish the tasks sooner than expected.

I always preach that our mental and physical well-being should come first. It’s important to check in ourselves occasionally when we feel a bit off. So don’t neglect to treat yourself with a little break once in a while. You’ll thank yourself later.

7. Separate Leisure From Work

Like the tip I mentioned above, you should completely dissociate yourself from work when it’s time to take a break. That means no checking in on emails or last-minute reviews. This is the time when you are supposed to stay in the present moment. Enjoy your snacks with every bodily sensation, take deep breaths and release all that tension, stare out the window and witness nature at its finest, and so much more!

You will be surprised how in these moments when you are still and without thoughts; ideas, inspiration, and motivation come naturally to you. If you find yourself stuck and can’t find a solution to a particular problem, a 10-minute walk out in nature might help you.

8. Digital Detox

If you find yourself spending more time on your phone or computer throughout the day, it’s time to take a much-needed dopamine detox. Look at your phone and see what your screen time is. If it’s more than 2 hours, that is a lot of phone usage.

Aim to use your phone for no more than an hour a day. You are allowed to use it for music or reading or even having a phone call with your loved ones. Other than that, keeping your phone far from reach is better. And NO, you are not missing out on anything, trust me! In addition, try uninstalling apps that you find yourself using the most. By the end of your 1st week, you will be amazed at how at peace you feel.

9. Be Mindful With What You Do

Whatever activity or task you are doing, fully immerse into it. If you are having your food, enjoy every morsel instead of taking out your phone for a selfie. If you are out for a walk, enjoy every step and stop thinking about how to go about your new client’s project.

Try your best not to be distracted from what you are actually doing. Most important of all, be PRESENT!

Conclusion

Being mindful and present is a habit that you can develop and practice. As a digital entrepreneur, it might be difficult at first, but as you get used to it, it will become second nature.

Related Reads:

• How To Activate Your Creative Flow
• How I Overcome My Fear Of Failure
• Why Your Childhood Traumas & Limiting Beliefs Are Holding You Back From Success
• Using The Scripting Manifestation Technique To Attract Anything You Want
• What I Learned About Building Habits

Do you guys practice being present? Do you follow any of the tips that I mentioned? Share your thoughts down in the comments!