98 Practical Tips to Start Living More Mindfully

What is mindful living?

According to the internet, " Mindful living is about five things; presence, awareness, appreciation, reflection and action. It is about taking moments throughout the day to be fully present with our environment and everything within it. It is also about being aware of our individual impact and acknowledging the ripples of each step we take." With our generation becoming woke about the perils in which our planet is, mindful living seems the solution an individual can partake on a personal level. But it is completely understandable if one feels absolutely lost. The Better Earthlings' founder Aditi Bhattacharya is here to guide you through it with her 101 tips on how to start a mindful living.

Table of content

1. Mindful Around House
2. Commute
3. Diet
4. Grocery Shopping
5. Fashion
6. Beauty
7. Lifestyle
8. Gifting
9. Technology
10. Kitchen
11. Office

Affiliate link disclaimer:- We do not promote consumerism neither do we encourage people to buy sustainable products all at once. our motive is to spread awareness and embark upon the journey of sustainability and zero waste one step at a time.

Mindful Around House

1. Energy efficient lights.

2. Add a second layer of clothing before you turn on the heater.

3. Do not use the Air conditioner for too long, Personally I don’t like A/C at all. Every summer I think that I should get one this time, then somehow I manage to skip.

4. Collect the a/c water, trust me it's the cleanest grey water. You can wash you garage, water the plant 

5. Ditch the fancy gadgets which are unnecessary. 

6. Stop washing your clothes too often.

7. I personally hand wash my clothes and give it to the laundry man who comes to our apartment weekly (it’s a dying, informal industry and we should try our best to support these micro businesses).

8. If you use a washing machine, do a full load, set your water wisely and strongly recommend that you line dry your clothes. It not only saves energy but also helps your clothes last longer.

9. Take a bucket challenge for a bath or use shower timer

10. All the detergent, cleaner should be non-toxic.

11. You can use water saving faucets. You can use a water saving nozzle without changing your plumbing.

12. Consider installing solar panels, yes it is quite an investment but it pays off.

13. Install a rainwater harvesting mechanism, you will get a lot of DIYs on YouTube. In some countries water harvesting is banned, biodiversity, ecology, environment, community nothing matters to them, the only thing that matters is PROFIT. really!!

Commute

14. Buy a bi-cycle and start commuting, go for a second hand bicycle if it’s available. It doubles up an excellent workout.

15. Try to use public transport as much as possible and if you manage to get a seat which is very unlikely to happen in India, read your favorite book or listen to a podcast, or knit. In my city, Kolkata public transport is cheap and convenient, electric buses are on the rise, on top of that we have cycle rickshaws and solar powered tuk tuks. How cool is that!

16. I prefer to take stairs up to 3rd floor, you decide the number according to your capacity. Amazing leg workout.

17. Rent a cycle or e-scooter if available in your city.

18. If your flight is less than 2 hours, you probably don’t need to fly, take a train instead and enjoy the beauty of your countryside. 

19. If you are in a hurry and have to take a flight for a short distance don’t include meals as they mostly come with excessive packaging.

20. Try not to take business class as it takes more resources per head. And what they offer is not worth the harm.

21. If you are thinking of buying a new car, consider buying e-vehicles, it will save you money in the long run and make sure you check out if your local authority is giving any subsidy. 

Diet

22. Cook your food, from scratch. My mom and I love to cook and we spend a wonderful time cooking. Food has a huge impact on us, more than we think. It is emotion, it tells a lot of stories, the recipes that are passed on by generations. Enjoy the process.

23. Plan all your meals for the weak and shop accordingly, now you know what to buy and how much, reducing the chance of food wastage.

24. Now that you have a meal plan and you think it’s too much for you to cook every day, from scratch. Do a meal prep, it will save you time. 

25. Eat with family, friends sometimes enjoy your meals alone, avoid streaming anything or listening to something while eating. PLEASE DO NOT MULTITASK, BE PRESENT. I know it may sound a little odd to other countries but if you’re an Indian, eat with your hands, touch it, feel it. 

26. Let’s admit it, we are privileged to get 3 meals a day even though we can choose our food but many people in your country are still underfed, no matter where you live. Show gratitude before you start eating, thank the higher power for allowing you to have your meal in peace, whomever you follow.

Grocery Shopping 

27. Buy vegetables from farmers markets or weekly markets and carry your favourite tote bag with you.

28. For fish and meat, don’t buy the packed one. buy from the live section and keep separate plastic bags for carrying. Make sure you use good quality plastic bags and reuse them.

29. Carry cloth produce bags for your rice and pulses, get it from the bulk section in your grocery store.

30. Do not fall for greenwashing.

31. Buy whole foods, local produce, fair trade, non GMO, seasonal.

32. Check if there are old school milkman services in your country or if you opt for dairy free alternatives.

33. Ditch ready to eat/cook meals completely.

34. Make your sauce, pickles, jams. 

35. Tea bags are boring, try loose leaf tea. You can even try exotic floral tea blends.

36. Research about your folk narratives, I mean before industrial farming. read about your agricultural history. Create a demand for those produce, buy directly from farmers. Understand and help decentralize the supply chain.

Fashion

37. Support local, environmentally conscious brands.

38. Invest in quality, we should stop this throw away culture.

39. Trust me in this, you don't need different colours in different seasons, stop falling for consumerism.

40. Acquire basic sewing skills and repair.

41. Invest in natural fabrics, it helps the local economy, provides jobs and the planet friendly factor is there, of course. 

42. Helps local handloom weavers. They are energy saver and keep our tradition, our beautiful heritage alive.

43. Life cycle of my clothes: I buy them, wear them until the color is faded or no longer wearable outside. Then I use them at home. After that piece has few holes in them or I’m too bored I use them for mopping, dusting or save them for later to make a quilt.

44. And donate to local charities.

Beauty

45. Go makeup free whenever possible.

46. Use reusable cotton/ bamboo rounds to remove your makeup.

47. See labels before buying products if that is cruelty free or vegetarian.

48. Buy quality brushes.

49. Use non toxic gentle soap, you can wash your face too.

50. Consider buying shampoo bars, reducing plastic packaging.

51. Please do not jump into the sea with your sunscreen on, It's a request.

52. Try using sustainable versions of comb, toothbrushes, etc.

53. Try menstrual cups. Click here to see the video

Lifestyle

54. Stop accepting freebies.

55. Plant local trees, and take care of them until they are self-sustainable.

56. Stop accepting cutlery and napkins and carry a pack with you always. 

57. Reduce the overall consumption of meat and dairy products. 

58. Go for freshly crushed juice or the tender coconut, ditch the store bought one, don't forget to say no to the plastic straw.

59. Most of us don’t like digital books, me too. Borrow a book, look for a local library, or buy second hand before you consider buying.

60. Donate food to the needy. It feels good to see their smile at the same time it’s ego boosting. Just sit with them and have the same meal. Most of the time it's not feasible but you get my point. Try some times.

61. Adopt a pet, don't buy from breeders.

62. If you really have time and resources, adopt a child. I will tell you about my daughter and how she came into our lives in another blog. 

63. As we all know a handkerchief and a reusable bottle are must carry.

Gifting

64. Ask the person what he or she wants.

65. Gift something useful.

66. Watch a YouTube video on how to wrap a gift sustainably.

67. Gift experiences.

68. Gift a plant 

69. Donate to a charity

70. Save the boxes and bags for future use.

71. If you don't like the gift ask them to change it and if you're not shameless like me you can always give it to someone who would love it.

Technology

72. Declutter all your devices. 

73. Don’t buy random products just because you can afford it.

74. You don’t need to buy the latest phone every year. 

75. Choose to buy rechargeable batteries.

76. Go for a solar charger to charge your devices.

77. If your devices are in good condition and still want to get rid of them, donate them to a NGO, an institution.

78. Dispose them properly, find an e-waste recycler in your locality..

79. Switch to a sustainable search engine like Ecosia. They plant trees with their profit share and also they run on renewable energy completely.

Kitchen

80. Save all your jars that came along with the product for reusing.

81. No one needs  too many kitchen gadgets. Invest in multipurpose and quality.

82. Choose your cookware wisely. Cast iron and clay cookware are my personal favorite.

83. Steel dinnerware is better because it’s longevity. 

84. Did you know RO wastes a lot of water. Make sure you buy a sustainable one.

85. Dishwashing bars and scrubbers are toxic to the environment and make a switch to the alternative.

86. Organize your refrigerator.

87. Strat composting. Here is the easiest composter to start with.

88. Grow your herbs. Check out her channel to learn it all. [link to garden up you tube channel]

89. Try recipes with leftovers.

90. Try a few snacks with vegetable peels. Baked potato skin is absolute love.

91. Add vegetable cut offs into the broth.

Office

92. Go paperless as much as possible, here are a few apps to help you start a paperless office.

93. Use your phones to take notes.

94. Collect your shredded paper and old used paper and donate it to a recycler or if you’re crafty make your very own handmade paper. 

95. Add a little greenery to your workspace. 

96. Unplug all your devices at night to reduce phantom power.

97. Try digital brochure, flyers. Design and share, it’s cost effective too.

98. If you really need business cards, go digital.

Conclusion:

Hope this mindful sustainable living tips will go a long way in saving our planet. A lot is at stake here and a lot depends on us. It is time that we play our due part in securing the future of our planet as well as us.

Also read:- 50 Spectacular Ways to Upcycle Old Clothes at Home