Feeling Stressed? Do the Dishes!

A basic household chore was recently shown to be quite effective in relieving stress. Researchers suggest that washing dishes can be a great way to calm your senses and get rid of stress.

Based on a new research, published in the journal Mindfulness, people who mindfully wash dishes will feel more inspired and less nervous. However, it is important that they indulge their senses while doing the activity, such as feeling the water temperature, smelling the soap and feeling the lather and shape of the plates, among others, Newser reported.

The positive effects may be due to the awareness and intention of performing a usual activity. Becoming fully involved in washing dishes most likely enhances the state of mindfulness. Researchers observed 51 students while they were washing dishes. The first half read a mindfulness dishwashing passage written by ThichNhat Hanh. The second half were asked to read a few statements describing dishwashing before proceeding with the chore.

CBS Tampa Bay notes that those who mindfully washed dishes felt an increased feeling of inspiration by 25 percent. They also had lowered nervousness levels by 27 percent. The group that merely read guidelines on dishwashing did not show any benefits.

The ThichNhat Hanh mindfulness passage stated that dishwashing is such a wonderful experience. It described how the person is conscious of his thoughts and actions and that he cannot be manipulated easily.

“I was particularly interested in how the mundane activities in life could be used to promote a mindful state and, thus, increase overall sense of well-being,” said study author Adam Hanley of FSU College of Education’s Counseling/School Psychology program, in a TIME report.

The findings hinted that mindfulness can be reached even by doing regular daily activities. The goal is to transform chores and ordinary activities into an opportunity to lower stress levels. Furthermore, those who were mindfully dishwashing felt an overestimation of time. This hinted that people might actually have more time to do other tasks by being more mindful.

The study was small, so more tests might be required to acquire a more definitive conclusion on the psychological and emotional effects of dishwashing. There might be tests involving other mundane daily activities. It might take time for people to learn how to mindfully do daily chores and start experiencing the soothing benefits.

More updates and details on the benefits of dishwashing and other common chores are expected soon.