10 Ways to Be More Present in Your Everyday Life

Alright, let’s get real. Being more present in your day-to-day? Easier said than done. I mean, you wake up, start thinking about your to-do list, and before you know it, the day’s gone. Sound familiar? Anyway, here’s the kicker: it doesn’t have to be that way. I mean, I’ve been there. The blurry chaos. The never-ending scroll of emails. But here’s the thing—I learned the hard way how to slow down, and I’m sharing those lessons so you don’t have to make the same mistakes.

1. Start Your Day With Mindfulness

So, picture this: my first attempt at mindfulness. It was supposed to be this zen, calm morning moment. Instead? I spilled coffee on my cat. Then I had a mental breakdown because my phone was blowing up with work emails. Fast forward past three failed attempts, and I figured it out.

The trick?

Set an alarm 10 minutes earlier than usual (or just 5 minutes—let’s be realistic).
Don’t even think about your phone. Just breathe, stare at the wall, or—if you’re feeling extra—you can even do a little stretching.
Just breathe. It’s cliché, but seriously, it helps. I now feel more present just by taking a minute to center myself before diving into the chaos.

And guess what? The cat didn’t even seem mad about the coffee this time. Small wins.

2. Limit Your Screen Time

Okay, let me paint you a picture. I used to think limiting screen time was just some “lifestyle influencer” buzzword. Like, “Yeah, right, I need to keep checking my phone.” Then one day, I actually tried it. The difference? Wild.

Here’s how I did it:

Turned on the “Do Not Disturb” setting. Bold move. But it worked.
Deleted a couple of apps (RIP Twitter, I’ll miss you).
I told myself, “No screens for at least an hour,” and shocker—I survived.

My neighbor Tina swears by it, too. She says that when she put her phone away, her stress level dropped, and she actually heard what her kids were saying. I guess when you’re not constantly refreshing your email, you can listen better?

3. Be a Pro at Active Listening

I’ll be honest: I used to nod along in conversations while mentally planning my grocery list. Yep, classic me. But then I figured, hey, what if I actually listened? Mind-blowing, right?

What I did:

Eye contact. Sounds simple, but try it next time. It makes a world of difference.
Focus on the speaker’s voice. If my mind starts wandering—hey, it happens—I just try to bring my focus back to them.
Don’t interrupt. It’s tempting, but let the person finish. That’s the secret to actually hearing what they say.

And look, I get it—listening is hard. But if you’re more present in a conversation, it feels… real. And honestly, my conversations are a helluva lot less awkward now. I even remember what people say. Progress.

3.1 The Power of Active Listening

You ever notice how really listening makes people feel heard? Yeah, I know, it sounds basic, but trust me, it’s huge. The simple act of pausing, staying quiet, and actually taking in someone’s words can change everything. And, spoiler: your relationships will improve.

4. Move Your Body

Okay, real talk: I never really thought about movement as a way to be more present. But then I read somewhere (probably on a random Pinterest board) that moving your body helps you get out of your head. I was skeptical, but hey, I gave it a shot.

What I tried:

Yoga—yup, I tried it. My first session was a disaster, but I stuck with it. It does help with grounding, I’ll give it that.
Walking. Nothing crazy, just a stroll around the block. It’s weird, but the fresh air really helped me focus. Also, my sneakers made this satisfying squeak sound, so that was a bonus.
Dancing in my kitchen. Yeah, I look like a fool. But somehow, it gets me out of my own head, and I feel way more present afterwards.

Like my friend, Greg, says—sometimes you need to just get your legs moving to stop thinking about the 10 million things on your plate.

5. Take Breaks. Seriously.

I used to power through work without taking breaks. Then one day, I got burnt out and realized I wasn’t really there for anything anymore. I wasn’t present at all.

What I’ve learned:

Set a timer for 25 minutes of work, followed by a 5-minute break. It’s like clockwork, but it works.
Walk away from your desk. Even if it’s just a quick jaunt to the kitchen. It helps.
Make tea. Pretend you’re a refined person who knows what they’re doing (spoiler: you are).

The simple act of walking away from the screen for a bit makes you come back feeling like a new person. And heck, you might even get something productive done while you’re at it.

6. Keep a Gratitude Journal

I used to roll my eyes at people who said, “Just be grateful!” I mean, yeah, that’s easy to say when you don’t have to deal with a broken washing machine. But then, I gave it a go. Let me tell you—writing down what you’re thankful for is like magic.

How I started:

Every morning, I wrote down three things I was grateful for. Some days it was “coffee” and “the fact that I’m still alive.”
I started finding things to be thankful for, even on bad days. Like when the neighbor’s kid finally stopped throwing rocks at my car. That counts, right?

After a while, you start looking for things to be grateful for throughout the day. It makes you more present, for sure.

6.1 The Hidden Benefits of Gratitude

Okay, here’s a fun fact: Victorians believed that talking to ferns prevented madness. And hey, I talk to my begonias just in case. But real talk, gratitude helps you focus on the good stuff. My mom says that when you focus on what’s working, the bad stuff just… doesn’t seem as bad. Go figure.

7. Declutter Your Space

Remember the time I had a mountain of laundry and couldn’t find my couch? Yeah, that was me. But I realized, when your space is cluttered, your brain is too. So I decided to simplify.

Here’s how I did it:

I tidied up a little every day. No big cleaning sprees—just small stuff, like putting the dishes away after each meal.
Threw out things I didn’t need. (Like the stack of broken plant pots I was sure I’d use someday—spoiler, I never did.)
I made my space a place where I actually wanted to be. My coffee table is now officially “clutter-free.”

Once my space was less chaotic, I found that I could focus better. I was more present, even during work meetings.

8. Slow Down and Savor

This one’s hard for me, y’all. I used to rush through meals, emails, everything. Like I was racing to the next thing. But then I learned: life’s too short to rush. So now, I try to savor.

What works for me:

Actually tasting my food. Revolutionary, right? But honestly, if you actually taste what you’re eating, it’s a whole new experience.
Enjoy the small things. The sound of rain. The smell of fresh grass. The perfect cup of coffee.

It’s all about slowing down and soaking in the details. You’ll be more present in your life if you’re not in a rush to get to the next thing.

9. Set Daily Intentions

You ever have one of those days where you just drift along, not really there for any of it? Yeah, I used to have those. Until I started setting intentions for my day. I didn’t just go through the motions; I actually had a purpose.

Here’s what I did:

Every morning, I wrote down one thing I wanted to focus on. It didn’t have to be big—just something to give my day direction.
I gave myself permission to not do everything. And it felt so much better.

Intentions aren’t about goals. They’re about the vibe you want to bring to the day. And when I set them, I was definitely more present in my day-to-day life.

9.1 Intentions vs. Goals

Quick distinction: goals are about achievements. Intentions? They’re about mindset. I’m all for knocking out my to-do list, but I’d rather have a good mindset while doing it.

10. Try Meditating

I used to think meditation was for people who had it all together—people with calming voices and perfect posture. Then I tried it. And guess what? I sucked. Big time. But, hey, that’s why I