Mindfulness is the act of being aware of yourself, your emotions, and your surroundings. Being fully present and mindful of your actions allows you to think and act more rationally. Since you can take a step back to understand how you feel, you can keep yourself from behaving impulsively. It’s kind of like taking a step back to be present and live in the moment. As beautifully put by Thich Nhat Hanh, “With mindfulness, you can establish yourself in the present in order to touch the wonders of life that are available in that moment.”

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, almost 25% of teens have an anxiety disorder. Also, the American Academy of Pediatrics links early stress levels with reduced memory and intellect, behavioral problems, and overall poor mental and physical health. In fact, a survey conducted by the Yale Centre for Emotional Intelligence reported that most students experience stress, boredom, fatigue, and other negative emotions 75% of the time (Gerszberg, n.d.). These unprecedented levels of stress and anxiety in high school students are all thanks to academic and social pressure. Sometimes, it can get to be a bit too much. Depression is on the rise, and the National Survey of Counselling Centre Directors found that suicide is one of the leading causes of death among teens in the United States (Arialdi M. Miniño, 2010). Thus, now more than ever, there is a need for mindfulness to help high school students manage stress, tone down negative emotions, and cope better.

Benefits of Mindfulness for High Schoolers

Mindfulness has proven enormously beneficial for all sorts of people. And, of course, since students tend to experience really high levels of stress, it’s safe to say that it will come in handy when midterms, essays, and final exams pile up.

Here we have listed the benefits of mindfulness for high school students:

1.      Improved Focus & Cognitive Performance

Mindfulness relaxes and de-stresses high school students so that they can focus on their work more efficiently. They can improve their attention spans and increase their ability to concentrate for longer periods of time. Hence, they are also likely to perform better and, consequently, get better grades.

2.      Self-Awareness & Self-Discipline

Practicing mindfulness allows students to fully tune in to their thoughts and feelings. They understand what they’re feeling and why. Thus, they can better control their emotions. They are also more self-disciplined because they deal effectively with their feelings instead of venting out front, right, and center.

3.      Reduced Stress

Being in control of your emotions means that you won’t be fazed by every single hitch. Students that practice mindfulness understand that problems come and go. Every problem has a solution (even if it isn’t clear right away), and therefore, they focus on looking for solutions rather than stressing out. These students know that anxiety will not set their academic (or personal) record straight; they know that they must do it themselves and they feel ready to handle what comes their way.

4.      Better Interpersonal Skills

Self-awareness helps high schoolers become effective communicators. Better communication means they can cultivate better relationships. They can work well in a team as well as individuals — much needed in university and in their future careers!

5.      Enhanced Empathy & Better Relationships

Mindful individuals realize that they’re not the only ones who have problems. The world does not, in fact, revolve around them. This means that they are more understanding, compassionate, empathetic, and forgiving. They give other people the benefit of the doubt in case of misunderstandings. Also, they support each other and thus, cultivate healthier relationships.

6.      Reduced Behavioural Problems

Since they are mindful, these students are less likely to be involved in harmful or counterproductive activities. They understand how to cooperate with others and behave in a respectful manner. Even if they don’t see eye to eye with some people, they understand that they should act respectfully. They know that it’s okay to disagree, but it’s not okay to act disgracefully. Moreover, they are less likely to get involved with drugs, alcohol, and the like.

7.      Better Health

Mindful students have better overall mental and physical health. Plus, the reduced levels of stress also significantly reduce the risk of diseases in these individuals, such as heart disease, cholesterol, blood pressure, chronic pain, etc. Additionally, these teens are able to sleep better. Now, getting up on time in the morning is something else entirely!

8.      Reduced Rumination

Rumination is dramatically reduced by engaging in mindfulness regularly. Hence, these high schoolers can better manage negative emotions, including depression, fear, anxiety, and apprehension. Also, they can learn to think more positively, and thus, live happy, more fulfilled lives.

Tips to Reduce Stress & Improve Focus

Now that we know how vital mindfulness is for high school students, let’s understand how we can incorporate mindfulness practices into our regular lives. Mindful education is precisely what it sounds like, but like most things in life, it’s easier said than done.

We’ve put together some tips to help you teach mindfulness to your high schooler.

Tip # 1 Sometimes Less is More

When working with a group, remember that teaching a large group of students may not be as personal or engaging as teaching smaller groups. Smaller groups allow you to give individual attention to your students and thus, keep them engaged. Your students will also be more comfortable with you if they attend your sessions in smaller groups. To cultivate healthy relationships and a stable connection with your students, you must make sure that they feel secure and settled in. Also, remember that not all students are the same. They may have learning differences, and thus, it is critical to cater to their individual needs.

Tip # 2 Foster Intrinsic Motivation

It’s harder to do things you don’t want to do. Therefore, it is essential to evoke curiosity and motivation in your students. You don’t want them to think of you as the dull teacher that will bore their heads off. The best learning happens when students focus, engage, and even enjoy themselves. Instead of doing all the talking yourself, give them a chance to have their say as well. Ask questions, encourage participation, and always be open to feedback. Also, engage your students through fun, interactive activities. Encourage them to breathe in and out. Guide them to express their thoughts and emotions in a healthy way.

Tip # 3 Teach Them to Think Positively and Express Gratitude

Negative thoughts are hard to handle, even for adults. Therefore, students must learn how they can manage these emotions and actually turn them into positive ones. Through guided meditation techniques, students can relax and take a step back to get clear on how they might be able to move forward. It’s important for students to learn to cultivate constructive thoughts to cope. This might be especially helpful with mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, panic attacks, etc.

Tip # 4 Reinforce with Repetition

While very beneficial, mindfulness can be somewhat challenging when you’re just starting off. Therefore, it helps to reinforce with repetition so students remain engaged. And of course, it’s best to start with small, manageable steps, so that students have time to absorb everything.

Tip # 5 Keep it Relevant & Relatable

Remember when we said it’s important to foster intrinsic motivation? Well, this is easier when mindfulness lessons and discussions are as relatable as possible. If you talk about issues relevant to the students’ needs, it will likely be more understandable to them. Before you dive into meditation exercises, it’s important that students know that they can turn to you for help. This goes a long way in developing trust and rapport.

Tip # 6 Try Mid-Morning or Later

Students are usually not fully awake at sunrise, so they might not be able to concentrate on mindfulness. Hence, the ideal time to practice would be the middle of the day or later when they are fully tuned in and awake. This would ensure that they are not distracted or sleepy and can thus, focus solely on the task at hand.

Tip # 7 Keep it Regular

All your efforts to be more mindful will be no good unless you stay consistent. Consistency is critical when it comes to building new habits.

Tip # 8 Let Teachers & Parents Pitch In

Mindfulness is important for students, but it is just as important for parents and teachers. At the end of the day, high school students need to be in an encouraging and mindful environment in order to maintain a state of continual mindfulness. We need mindful parents to raise mindful children and, of course, mindful teachers for mindful education.

What’s the Takeaway?

Life can get really hectic, especially for students. And somewhere down the line, they often start to lose themselves in their routines and schedules. However, mindfulness allows them to take a step back and really live in the present moment. Thus, it helps them manage their emotions and cope better, which also means that they can maintain better grades and better overall mental and physical health. We’ve put together these eight tips in the hopes of helping high school students become more mindful, considerate, and, most importantly, happier and healthier.

Works Cited

Arialdi M. Miniño, M. (2010). Mortality Among Teenagers Aged 12-19 Years: the United States, 1999-2006. Retrieved from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db37.htm

Gerszberg, C. O. (n.d.). Best Practices for Bringing Mindfulness into Schools. Retrieved from Mindful: https://www.mindful.org/mindfulness-in-education/