Mindfulness is the state of being where you kindly observe your thoughts without being influenced by them.

There are many activities that can put you into this mental state from mindfulness meditation to cleaning dishes, one of them is mowing your lawn.

The good things about mindfulness activities is that you have to do them anyway. But if you put that mindfulness part into the activity it becomes really beneficial for your well being.

So instead of adding more activities into your life, you are using everyday activities and just adding the mindfulness intention into them. And it works.

Mowing your lawn is a job that, when done properly, shouldn’t take too long and will be relatively easy, but there are some common mistakes people make that can impact the look of your grass significantly.

In this article we will tell you how to make Mowing one of your Mindfulness Activities, and share few tips how to do a good job at that.

How Mowing Can Be A Mindfulness Activity:

For any activity to become a Mindfulness Activity the main thing you should do is make sure you are grounded in the now.

Mindfulness produces various psychological improvements in an individual like decrease of stress, increased well being, reduced emotional reactivity and improved behavioral regulation.

You should make sure 3 things are met.

1. You are physically occupied with doing something.

Any activity requires some action from you. But there are activities like watching a video, that do not require much physical occupation.

To make an activity mindful you need to make sure it activates you physically.

When you are physically occupied your attention is more grounded in the now and directed towards something.

2. You activate at least two of your senses.

Just physical occupation and directed attention towards an activity are not enough.

You need to activate at least two of your primary senses, like sight and hearing, so your consciousness can merge with your surroundings.

This will ground you in the now while being occupied with a physical activity.

3. You let your mind flow freely.

The last thing you need is to let go of controlling your thoughts. And usually when these two are met, being physically occupied and having at least two of your senses activated, your mind is free to flow on its own.

That’s the main thing about mindfulness, stepping back from controlling your thoughts.

That’s why cleaning dishes can be a common mindfulness activity, you are occupied, you watch the dishes, you hear the water, you touch the water, you are activating the senses and they ground you in the now.

So how to make mowing a Mindfulness Activity?

Implement these 3 things. Mow it physically, listen to the sounds, watch the lawn, smell the grass, and let your mind flow freely.

7 Tips to a Perfectly Mowed Lawn:

1. Service your mower.

A mower that hasn’t been serviced can cause more harm than good when cutting your lawn, and blades that are blunt or damaged can pull out chunks of grass and soil rather than cut it.

Before your first cut, at the start of spring, give your mower a full service, so that it’s in prime condition to cut your lawn for the rest of the year.

If you’re not sure how to service your lawnmower, consider asking a professional to do it for you.

2. Aim to lower your grass by one third.

When cutting your lawn, a good rule of thumb is to reduce the grass’ length by approximately one third at a time. Any more than this could damage the grass and stop it from being as thick and healthy.

3. Know how often to cut.

In the spring, when your grass has begun to grow again, you can start moving around once every two weeks, as the grass won’t be growing too quickly, and any more often won’t be needed. As the season turns to summer, your lawn will start to grow more rapidly, and you’ll need to start mowing every week to keep your grass at a healthy length.

Lawn grass should be kept at around one to two inches long, up to three inches where there’s more footfall, and up to four inches in very shaded areas.

If you can’t keep up with your lawn during certain period of the year, you may want to consider hiring someone to do it for you. A great place to start is to search for rates in your local area, such as lawn care rates in Brisbane, Melbourne, or wherever your lawn is, and find someone with positive reviews.

4. Choose your days.

The best time to mow your lawn is when the grass is dry, so keep an eye on the forecast for the week.

If you cut the grass when it’s wet, it’s more likely to get caught up in the blades, and you’ll find clumps of grass are being pulled out of the ground, which can then clog up your mower.

5. Don’t mow on freshly sown grass.

If you’ve recently resown your lawn, avoid mowing it until it has grown to at least 2 inches long. When the grass reaches this height, it will be established enough to cope with being cut without any damage.

6. Get creative.

If you want to take your garden to the next level, consider getting creative with your mowing. To get the classic striped look, use a mower with a roller, which will push the grass to face the direction you’re mowing to create that classic look. You may also leave certain parts of your lawn untouched to attract wildlife.

7. Compost your clippings.

The best way to get rid of your grass clippings is by throwing them into a compost bin, which can then be used to fertilize your garden. To prevent your compost from becoming too wet, add plenty of brown material that will absorb some of the moisture.