Mindful Matters

Mindful eating means paying attention to your food while eating. It is not a diet – rather, it focuses on the eating process instead of the outcome. This approach creates sensual awareness of your eating experience, as well as your food and body's response to it. This means that mindful eating focuses on internal hunger cues rather than external cues.

Examples of mindful eating include listening to your hunger cues and only eating until you’re full, eating slowly and without distractions, appreciating your food, focusing on how food makes your body feel, engaging your senses by noticing colors, smells, sounds, textures, and flavors and not being overwhelmed by guilt or anxiety about eating.

Helpful Resources

• Live Better at Home > Eat
• Foods to Fuel Your Brain
• 4 Reasons Why You Should Reduce Your Sugar Intake
• A Dietitian's Guide to The Supermarket
• The Best Sources of Vitamin C
• Easy, Healthy Food Swaps
• Stay Safe While Drinking

Mindful movement allows you to check in with your body and move in a way that reduces stress, releases energy and strengthens your mind-body connection. It helps you to practice self-care by focusing on both mental and physical well-being. It can also allow self-expression through movement such as dance.

Examples of mindful movement include going for a walk, doing 30 minutes of yoga, standing up and stretching, taking deep breaths or a body scan. There are also local park runs everyone can participate in that are sponsored by Medibank.

Benefits of mindful movement:

• Reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression
• Increases overall wellbeing and cognitive function
• Lifts your mood
• Improves your focus
• Improved relaxation and sleep

Helpful Resources

• Live Better at Home > Move
• 5 Ways to Exercise on a Budget
• The Wonders of Walking
• Lightning Fast Workouts
• How Exercise Improves Your Mental Health

Mindfulness of thoughts and feelings is when you take notice of any thoughts that come into your head and any emotions you might be experiencing. Being mindful of these things means noticing, paying attention to and accepting these thoughts and feelings without judgement.

It is still important to take care of yourself and maintain a normal routine! You can achieve mindful thoughts and feelings positively by practicing the Four A’s: Avoid, Alter, Adapt and Accept. This is especially useful when coping with stress as a student.

Avoid unnecessary stress

• It’s okay to say no
• Avoid people that stress you out
• Take control of your environment

Alter the situation

• Express or assert yourself
• Don’t be afraid to compromise
• Find balance

Adapt to the stressor

• Look at the big picture
• Adjust your standards and/or the picture
• Practice gratitude

Accept things that can't be changed

• Uncontrollable things cannot be controlled
• Use the experience for personal growth
• Forgive and move on

You can download the MQ Wellbeing app today for Android or iOS.

Helpful Resources

• Live Better at Home > Feel
• Coping with Stress as a Student
• How to Deal with Stress: A Guide for Busy Students
• 7 Tips to Improve your Mental Health
• 5 Ways to Relieve Stress Today
• 7 Ways to Improve your Mental Fitness in 7 Days
• Mental Fitness Flex
• Stress Management: How to Reduce and Relieve Stress