‘Micropractices’ are brief practices which can be as short as 20 seconds, and which can lower anxiety or stress. They are convenient, accessible and can be practised almost anywhere. An article in Psychology Today has even called them ‘the next disruptive innovation in stress and anxiety treatment’.
A recent study of a 20 second micropractice found that it brought about significant improvements in self-compassion, emotional wellbeing and stress reduction when practised on a daily basis. My ‘short version’ of this micropractice is as follows:
Place one hand on your belly and the other on your chest and ask yourself, ‘how can I be a friend to myself in this moment?’
The full version from the study is below:
You’re invited to allow your eyes to close… Bringing to mind a recent mistake, or a failure or something about yourself that has been bothering you lately, or has made you feel unworthy, unloved, or not enough… and notice what arises in your body as you bring this to mind… sending kindness and warmth to yourself by bringing one hand to your belly and the other to your chest with the energy of giving yourself a hug… allow yourself to embrace what arises in your body … and you’re invited to ask yourself ‘how can I be a friend to myself in this moment?’… and when you’re ready you may open your eyes
retrieved from https://osf.io/n3kf9.
To reap the benefits of regular practice, the researchers suggested remembering to do it after brushing your teeth, for example.
Alexander Technique as an ’embodiment micropractice’
There are versions of the Alexander Technique which look a lot like micropractices, and I’ve recently included a lot of them here. Linking the Alexander Technique to the notion of micropractices could be helpful in spreading the appeal of the Technique.
Alexander Technique self-instructions could be termed ‘mind-body micropractices’ or perhaps ’embodiment micropractices’. As with other micropractices, they are definitely accessible to all. Here’s a brilliant example called the ‘Ready List’:
Stop
See
Breathe
Soft & Tall
Stop – Relax the mind. Think or say “Stop”.
See – Relax the eyes. Am I seeing?
Breathe – Relax the breathing. Am I breathing?
Soft & Tall – Relax into being human. Am I balancing?
You can find out about the rationale behind The Ready List on its own website, and about Alexander Technique self-instructions here.
