How to Practice Gratitude While Cooking, Doing Laundry, and Commuting

Mindfulness practices can make your most dreaded daily chores into meditations

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With the limited time we have here on Earth, it really stinks that so much of it has to be spent doing boring, pointless chores like cleaning the bathroom and paying the bills.

But while these tasks may seem like the furthest possible thing from a restorative meditation session, mindfulness experts say they are actually ripe opportunities to be present in the moment, and enjoy life more. A simple shift in perspective can help you to find joy even in these mundane experiences. And isn’t joy so much better than dread?

Here are the tangible steps mindfulness and meditation experts use to get through their most cringe-worthy chores.

Cooking

If you’re not someone who loves to cook — or just feel exhausted at the thought of assembling a meal at the end of a long day or in the run-up to a big holiday — try bringing gratitude to the practice, suggests Dr. Elisha Goldstein, founder of the Mindful Living Collective.

Pick up each ingredient and think about where it came from, and the work that went into getting it to your table. Practice appreciation and gratitude for each piece…