The Benefits of Presence
What is presence and how does it make you more aware of what’s happening around you and inside you?
How can we define presence? On one level, we can think about presence as the awareness of the moment as it unfolds (Silsbee, 2008). What we’re feeling, noticing, and thinking, and what’s happening around us—it’s awareness of these things that constitutes presence.
Presence to our own experience is sometimes simple and straightforward, but it’s often effortful, requiring intentionality and deliberate focus (Bugental, 1992). Perhaps this is why mindfulness and yoga classes have proliferated in recent years: Most of us need help and instruction in getting back into our bodies and our lived experiences.
Something that’s common across the psychological models, as well as the other definitions we’ve looked at, is the idea of one’s attention. If we’re not involved or engaged in a situation—actively noticing and taking things in, having reactions, and noticing those reactions—then we’re not fully present.
This could include noticing when we fall into familiar patterns and asking ourselves whether these behaviors are what the situation truly calls for (Varela, 1996).
Lastly, you can also think of presence as wholehearted acceptance of what the moment brings (Heidegger, 2001). Instead of resisting what’s happening or checking out mentally, we receive the moment as it unfolds.
Benefits of Presence
There are many benefits of being present. For example, one study found that when people are more mindful of the present moment, they experience fewer stressful events and less stress in moments that are challenging (Donald et al., 2016). This suggests that mindfulness is associated with greater abilities to recognize and manage our emotions. After all, our emotions are less powerful and less upsetting if we can see them coming, understand why they’re here, and stay with them instead of turning away.
The study above is just one of many to find what psychologists call “present-moment awareness” and is associated with better psychological health, less stress, and better mood (Brown et al., 2007; Weinstein et al., 2009). Psychologically speaking, it’s truly advantageous to be as alert to and accepting of what’s happening in the present moment as possible. To do anything else makes life more difficult.
Theory of Presence
What determines how much presence a person can bring to a moment? One psychologist theorizes that there are three key components (Sheridan, 1992). First, it matters how much sensory information we’re able to take in. Second, our presence depends on how able we are to use our senses to take the world in.
Finally, our presence is reliant on how much we can interact with and control our environments. Simply put, a world that you cannot engage with will not hold your attention that much. Think of the last time you had to sit through a long lecture: How much easier would it have been to stay present if there was the expectation that you would ask questions, discuss a key point with the person sitting next to you, or share the key ideas from the talk with somebody else later? When our world feels interactive and invites our engagement, we’re more present.
Process of Becoming Present
There are many processes for becoming more present. To highlight just a couple, one study aimed to help undergraduate students worry less by cultivating their mindfulness (Nasser & Przeworski, 2017). The students highest in worry at one school took classes in mindfulness meditation and in finding joy in the present moment. The intervention was short, with each student receiving only forty minutes of instruction in either mindfulness meditation or what the researchers called “present moment joy.” But the effects were impressive, with both groups reporting fewer negative emotions, greater curiosity, and less of a sense of being controlled by their emotions after attending the classes.
These brief interventions are typical of the amount of support people need to be more present. Simply listening to a meditation app, or taking a walk around town without your phone or headphones, can be enough to awaken you to what else is happening that normally escapes your notice.
Practical Tips to Be More Fully Present in Your Life
Being fully present in your life is about embracing the moment and engaging with the world around you. Here are some practical tips to help you cultivate mindfulness and presence.
Practice Mindfulness Meditation
Set Aside Time Daily: Dedicate 5 to 10 minutes each day to sit quietly and focus on your breath. This helps train your mind to stay present.
Guided Meditations: Use apps or online resources to follow guided meditations, which can help focus your attention and develop mindfulness skills.
Limit Multitasking
Single-Task Focus: Try focusing on one task at a time. This reduces stress and increases efficiency, allowing you to engage more deeply with each activity.
Prioritize Tasks: Make a list of tasks and tackle them one by one, rather than attempting to accomplish everything at once.
Engage Your Senses
Sensory Awareness: Pay attention to what you can see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. This practice anchors you in the present moment.
Mindful Eating: Focus on the flavors, textures, and aromas of your food. This simple act can turn a meal into a grounding experience.
Practice Gratitude
Daily Gratitude Journal: Write down three things you're grateful for each day. This shifts your focus to positive aspects of your life.
Express Gratitude: Share appreciation with others, whether through a note, a call, or a simple thank you.
Limit Distractions
Create Tech-Free Zones: Designate certain areas or times in your home where digital devices are not allowed.
Notification Management: Turn off unnecessary notifications on your devices to minimize disruptions.
Deep Breathing Exercises
Breath Awareness: Throughout the day, take a moment to focus on your breathing. Inhale deeply, hold for a few seconds, and exhale slowly.
Stress Reduction: Use deep breathing as a tool to manage stress and return to the present moment.
Cultivate Presence in Conversations
Active Listening: Pay full attention to the speaker without interrupting. Show engagement through eye contact and nodding.
Reflective Responses: Paraphrase what the speaker has said to ensure understanding and to demonstrate attentiveness.
By incorporating these practices into your daily routine, you can enhance your ability to be fully present and enjoy life more deeply.
In Sum
Presence, or the ability to be aware of and attuned to what’s happening in the moment as it unfolds, is a challenging but powerful skill to develop and harness. Hopefully this article inspires you to think a bit about when you’re present versus absent in your life, and remember that being present is a skill that develops over time with consistent practice.
References
● Brown, K. W., Ryan, R. M., & Creswell, J. D. (2007). Mindfulness: Theoretical foundations and evidence for its salutary effects. Psychological Inquiry, 18(4), 211–237.
● Bugental, J. F. (1992). The art of the psychotherapist. WW Norton & Company.
● Donald, J. N., Atkins, P. W., Parker, P. D., Christie, A. M., & Ryan, R. M. (2016). Daily stress and the benefits of mindfulness: Examining the daily and longitudinal relations between present-moment awareness and stress responses. Journal of Research in Personality, 65, 30–37.
● Heidegger, M. (2001). The Zollikon seminars (M. Boss, Ed.). (F. Mayr & R. Askay, Trans.). Northwestern University Press. (Original work published 1987)
● Nasser, J. D., & Przeworski, A. (2017). A comparison of two brief present moment awareness training paradigms in high worriers. Mindfulness, 8, 775–787.
● Sheridan, T. B. (1992). Musings on telepresence and virtual presence. Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments, 1(1), 120–125.
● Silsbee, D. (2008). Presence-based coaching: Cultivating self-generative leaders through mind, body, and heart. John Wiley & Sons.
● Varela, F. J. (1996). Neurophenomenology: A methodological remedy for the hard problem. Journal of Consciousness Studies, 3(4), 330–349.
● Weinstein, N., Brown, K. W., & Ryan, R. M. (2009). A multi-method examination of the effects of mindfulness on stress attribution, coping, and emotional well-being. Journal of Research in Personality, 43(3), 374–385.