The Power of Habit Releasers

Did you know that it’s difficult to be curious and judgmental at the same time?

In Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World, Danny Penman and Mark Williams introduce habit releasers—simple exercises designed to break ingrained patterns, spark curiosity, and bring fresh awareness to your daily life. Think of them as playful experiments that can cultivate your mindfulness practice.

Changing chairs

Sit in a different chair at your regular coffee shop, coworking space, office or during an in-person meeting. See how your perspective shifts and what new details you notice.

Go for a walk

Whether it’s before work, between meetings, or after your day ends, bring your attention to each step you take. Notice the colors, shapes, and details around you. You can even make a subtle sound with each step, like 'bum, bum, bum,' to anchor yourself more firmly in the present moment.

Take a different route

Change the route you normally take to the office (for hybrid or in-person folks) and see what you notice. Take a random left turn if you have the time and see what you find. 

Random act of kindness

The act of giving doesn’t have to be big—small gestures can have a big impact. Offer to help a coworker with a task, bring in baked goods on a Friday, or leave a book you’ve enjoyed on someone’s desk. You could even give away items from your home that you no longer need. Give simply for the sake of giving without expecting anything in return. Notice how these acts affect both your body and your mind.

Revisit an old activity

Reflect on a time in your life when things felt less frantic. Try to recall some of the activities you enjoyed back then—whether it was listening to specific music, engaging in physical activities, going to the movies, or playing board games. These could have been solo activities or shared with others. Choose one of these activities to revisit this week, whether it takes 5 minutes or 5 hours, alone or with others. The goal is to reconnect with a part of your life you may have lost touch with.

Approach each habit releaser with full attention, no matter how small it seems. While they may sound trivial, they can be remarkably effective in loosening mental ruts and shifting unhelpful thought patterns. Don’t wait until you feel like trying one—just do it and see what unfolds.