After a cooking class with The Chef & The Dish, you'll have some dishes left over. Well - it looks like that's a good thing!
According to researchers at Florida State University, the act of washing dishes can actually reduce stress. In a study with 51 students, researchers gave half of the students instructions to simply wash the dishes. The other half, were told to be mindful while washing the dishes, to focus on the act and be present. The stress levels of both groups were monitored both before and after to understand how approaching every day tasks with awareness impacted the benefits derived.
"I was particularly interested in how the mundane activities in life could be used to promote a mindful sees of well-being" said Adam Hanley, a doctoral candidate at FSU College of Education's Counselling/School Psychology program.
The students who were told to wash the dishes (without being mindful) derived no benefits from the task. The students however who were told to be mindful, were more aware of the smell of soap and the process of rubbing plates... their feelings of inspiration increased by 25% and their stress levels reduced by 27%.
While the sample size was small, it shows promising results that being present during daily tasks, like washing dishes, can help improve your overall state of mind.
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