How to Stay Present

Co-authored by Colleen Campbell, PhD

Last Updated: May 25, 2021

Life can often be chaotic, and it can be difficult to stay grounded in the moment. Though you may pride yourself on being able to do multiple things at once, doing so tends to degrade the quality of attention you are able to provide to the task at hand. Rather than allowing your mind to wander constantly or trying to do too much at one time, focus on being mindful and changing your mindset to create a more present-focused life.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Practicing Mindfulness Techniques

1
Start your day off right. When you wake up, avoid springing out of bed and getting ready immediately. Instead, spend some time in bed breathing deeply and reflecting on your body and surroundings in that moment. Allow any thoughts about your day to wash off of you and try to focus only on your breathing and how you feel. ^{[1]
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- In order to avoid being bombarded by thoughts of the day ahead, think about how your arms, legs and back feel against the sheets of your bed. Reflect on that as well as any sounds or smells around you. This will help you stay focused in the moment.
Practice mindful breathing . One of the surest ways to help you stay present in the moment is to simply breathe. Before beginning a task or doing something that will require a lot of attention, take a moment to breathe. Sit in a chair with a flat back, place your hands on the armrests, close your eyes, and inhale slowly through your nose. Hold it for a moment or two and then exhale slowly from your mouth. Do this until you feel relaxed and focused. ^{[2]
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3
Focus on what is in front of you. Perhaps you have a tendency to drift away whilst in conversation with someone, or you get sidetracked when completing a project. Instead of allowing yourself to miss the moments in front of you, focus on witnessing them first hand. Look people in the eyes when they are speaking and try to repeat back what they’ve said to you every so often to hold yourself accountable. ^{[3]
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- You might be talking to a friend about her relationship problems and say something like “So, it sounds like you’re saying that you weren’t really mad at him for not coming to the party but that you were more hurt by it.” Not only does this help you become more present, it helps you become a better friend and listener, as well.
4
Practice mindful meditation . Meditation is another instrumental way to become a more present person, and it has been proven to reduce anxiety and increase mindfulness and compassion. Take at least ten minutes each day spent quietly and undisturbed in meditation. Pick a word, phrase, or quote and meditate on that to calm, center, and focus you. ^{[4]
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- For instance, you might choose to meditate on the word “present” or “focus.” You can simply repeat it quietly to yourself while sitting with your eyes closed. Try to think of nothing but that word.
- You might also choose to meditate while taking a walk alone or at work during your lunch break.
EXPERT TIP

Colleen Campbell, PhD
Career & Life Coach
Dr. Colleen Campbell is the Founder and CEO of The Ignite Your Potential Centers, Career and Life Coaching based in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. Colleen received her MA and PhD in Clinical Psychology from Sofia University and has been career coaching since 2008.

Colleen Campbell, PhD
Career & Life Coach

Set a meditation goal for yourself. Colleen Campbell, the CEO of Ignite Your Potential, says: "Challenge yourself to meditate for 5 minutes every day for 30 days. You might meditate every morning when you get up, or you might sit down and meditate in the afternoon. You might even practice mindfulness on your walk to work. It's about being consistent and intentional. After that 30 days, you can make a decision on whether you want to continue to meditate."
Practice yoga . Yoga is a form of exercise and stretching that incorporates meditation and mindfulness. Find a yoga studio near you or sign up for some classes at your local gym. You can also find some yoga videos online and practice at home. This practice will not only improve your overall health, but will increase your ability to focus.
Though you are trying to stay present, know that sometimes you will get a bit sidetracked. To prepare for these times, incorporate small reminders of mindfulness into your space to recenter you. Consider something small like wearing a white string around your wrist. ^{[5]
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Know that you can also employ many of these techniques during your work or school day. Take a few moments when you first arrive to breathe deeply and commit to focusing. Know that others will take your attention throughout the day, but these few minutes are just for you. ^{[6]
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You can also work to incorporate mindfulness techniques into your daily life. Take a few minutes before a meeting to breathe deeply to center yourself. Don’t always listen to music during your commute; instead use this time to focus on the drive. Instead of always listening to music when you workout, skip the tunes occasionally. ^{[7]
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Harvard Business Review
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Shifting Your Perspective and Habits

In order to become truly present, evaluate all of the things that have traditionally kept you from being so. Perhaps while at work, you get sidetracked when thinking about your children and you begin to worry about them or feel anxiety. Or maybe you feel other negative emotions often like guilt or frustration. Make a list of the emotions you are most prone to and then burn it or toss it in the trash. ^{[8]
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2
Accept your thoughts and emotions. Though being present requires your full focus, you should still not completely shun any negative thoughts or emotions that you might have. Trying to ignore a thought is the surest way to keep it in the forefront of your mind, so give your negative emotions a moment or two, think about them, write them down, and then refocus on the task at hand. ^{[9]
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- You might think to yourself “I acknowledge that I am still upset about my fight last night with my mother, but I cannot do anything about that right now. I need to work on preparing for my presentation and I will call her later when I have more time.”
3
Question your thoughts. Question any negative thoughts that you might be having and evaluate whether they are important enough to take you from the task or person at hand. Many times, your negative thoughts might not be rooted in reality, so do your best to delegitimize them when you can. Work to gently redirect yourself to the reality in front of you. ^{[10]
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- For instance, you might be worried that someone will break into your home. But if there have been no break-ins in your neighborhood lately or you have a home alarm system, then perhaps this fear is not worth bothering with at the moment.
4
Focus on what is important. Learn to differentiate between what is a priority and what is a distraction. Make a list of everything that you need to do the day before you need to do it and rank them based on what you will complete first. Complete each task one at a time. Make time for yourself and for your family each day. ^{[11]
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- One small thing that you can do at work is to prioritize emails first and then move on to larger tasks that will take more time and energy.
5
Turn off your phone. Though social media has helped to advance and inform society in multiple ways, it can also be the single most distracting habit that you might have in your life. When you truly need to focus, turn off your cellphone, or at least put it on silent. Consider deactivating a few of your social media accounts or disabling email on your phone.
- Consider making it a family practice that no one has their phones on at dinner.
One way to ensure that you are practicing mindfulness is to follow the things that you enjoy and love. Take a job that interests you, ask the girl you’ve been crushing on for a while on a date, and explore your hobbies. Create a life that is worth staying present in. ^{[12]
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