What helps you stay mindful throughout your day?

I was recently asked to answer this question. What practices do I use to fight stress and boost productivity? My favorites are yoga, breathwork and writing.

Meditation, yoga, writing and breathing practices help me stay mindful.

On stressful days, I try to give myself permission to sit with what is, whether I'm tired or emotional or overwhelmed. I like to sit down or sometimes take 'legs up the wall' pose and just spend a few minutes noticing my body.

Where do I feel tense? How am I breathing? What is the energy in my body like in this moment?

Rolling out my yoga mat and moving for 15-20 minutes allows me to release stagnant energy. Some days, I'll stay with one pose for an extended period of time. One minute in headstand, or two minutes in Pigeon on each side -- that can make a huge difference in how my day is going!

I also love to write in my journal. I think it's important to write from a place of authenticity. If I'm having a rough day, I might not write a gratitude list. I might write about why I'm upset, why I feel stuck, or what I'm fearful of. On happy days, a gratitude list or a blog post or a long post on Instagram might be more fitting. The important thing is to start with how I'm truly doing, instead of trying to pretend I'm in a different space.

Breathing is so important too. Lately I've been all about Nadi Shodhana, alternate nostril breathing. I feel so relaxed after just a few minutes of this Pranayama technique. I'm grateful that there are so many methods for staying mindful and for releasing stress, since different days I need different tools.