Carden Conejo School

You have been given the link to this site as part of the mindfulness program at Carden Conejo School. In Fall 2017, we are piloting an online, at-home webpage to supplement what students learn in class. You are not required to use this site or practice at home. For those of you who do, we are curious what is helpful, what is not, and what seems to make a measurable difference.

Carden students can use the Mindfulness@Carden videos filmed at Carden in Spring 2017 to practice mindfulness at home or use the InsightTimer App to see what other Carden students are doing. Email dgehart@mac.com or ask your mindfulness instructor to join the private Carden group on InsightTimer.

Research studies have shown that mindfulness can help improve students' academic performance, social skills, and ability to manage stress. Over 50% of children will have a mental health disorder by the time they are in high school, and mindfulness is one of the few evidence-based approaches to prevent and/or reduce mental health issues. In just 2-10 minutes per day, most people find that they sleep better, are less stressed, and feel happier more often. And students find it easier to concentrate at home and at school. If this sounds like may be worth the effort, let's see what some of your options are.

Read more about mindfulness, the brain, and youth

The purpose of Mindfulness@Home s to help you more rapidly and noticeably benefit from the in-class Mindfulness@Carden program. In as little as 2 minutes per day, you can help rewire your brain to be calmer, more focused, and happier.

Step 1: Make a Plan: Monday-Friday 2-5 Minutes
Identify things you do every day Monday-Friday at home, such as homework, brush your teeth in the morning, eat breakfast/dinner, watch TV, etc. Identify one of these that might be a good time for you to practice mindfulness for 2-10 minutes. Some ideas include:

• Before homework
• After breakfast
• After brushing teeth before school
• Before taking shower/bath
• After dinner

Then figure out how to remind yourself to do it. Some ideas include:

• Invite a parent or sibling to join you
• Set a timer on your watch, iPad, etc.
• Put a reminder where you would be right before you plan to practice (such as a chime or relaxing picture)

Step 2: Explore Your Options
There many ways to practice mindfulness at home. Some of these include:

• Use the mp4 videos on this webpage that were created last June with students at Carden.
• Use the InsightTimer App, which can be used on a computer or tablet and is free to all. We have created a private Carden Mindfulness group for those using the app to share when they are practicing and which of the free guided meditations they found most useful.
• Purchase mindfulness CDs for home use.
• Check out these other website for additional options

Step 3: Create a Plan
Begin by making plan, which should include:

• Days of the Week: Try to identify 5 days for which your schedule is fairly consistent, which is Monday through Friday for many of us.
• Meditation Format: Identify 1-2 possible formats, such as using the mp4s on this website or InsightTimer's guided mediations. Download the apps and/or bookmark the webpage so you have them ready when you need them.
• Place: Identify a calm, quiet place where you plan to practice.
• Identify Reminders: The hardest part of practicing mindfulness is slowing down from our busy lives long enough to practice mindfulness. Thus, it is helpful to consider what will help you remember to practice, which may include: (1) Timer/alarm on phone or digital device, (2) Put a note coordinating times with a friend to practice at same time, (3) Connecting it to an activity you do everyday, such as homework or brushing your teeth, (4) Doing it before another favorite activity
• Identify Potential Barriers: Identify things that might keep you from studying such as noisy distractions, forgetting to practice, excuses for not practicing, changes in schedule

Download a Mindfulness Planner Here

Step 4: Week 1
Try to follow your plan for a week, and track your practice using a written/digital log such as the Carden Mindfulness Log or using Insight Timer's built in log (if you practice with it every time). At the end of the week, notice what helped you actually sit down and practice and what prevented you from doing so. Then, adjust your plan for the next week.

Download Carden Mindfulness Log
Link to Mindfulness@Carden Practice Videos
Link to Insight Timer

Step 5: Week 2 and Beyond
Continue logging your practice sessions to see what works and what doesn't. Whenever you are tempted to skip a practice, try to just do 60 seconds. It is surprising how helpful that can be.