I recently ditched my high-tech coffee machine in favour of a traditional Italian coffee maker. Why? To combat stress. It’s got nothing to do with the taste; I’m just trying to start the day in a new, more mindful way.

Instead of pressing a button and having coffee delivered to me in seconds, I’m enjoying the ritual of preparing it myself. It’s a much-needed moment of quiet, enjoying the aroma of coffee flooding the kitchen. That first sip is one of the little things that make me happy. It may sound poetic, but the benefits are tangible. Yes, the automatic coffee maker (that I spent yonks saving up for) makes my coffee in the blink of an eye, but I’ve realised that it keeps me on autopilot before I leave the house. And the truth is, being more intentional, more switched on, has proved to be a secret to happiness.

This might seem like a reach – especially for those attached to their gadgets – but it’s a genuine way to celebrate the everyday, which psychologists recommend to combat stress. When we “microcelebrate” habitual gestures, we give new meaning to our routines. Stop living in wait-and-see mode (waiting for the weekend or your hollybobs). Instead, appreciate the pauses and slow that pace right down. Doing things slowly also sends a positive message to the brain, helping me feel less overwhelmed.

In the same way that I’m trying to value the smell of the first coffee in the morning, the concept of microcelebrations can be explored in infinite ways: a conversation with a colleague, the lunch break away from the computer, the series you watch every night.

Appreciating the everyday helps regulate the nervous system and lowers cortisol

Every time we make the everyday extraordinary, we can help manage our cortisol levels. Brenda de la Peña, psychologist and CEO of the holistic health platform Combrension, explains that from a psychological point of view, celebrating the small is a way to regulate and take care of our nervous system. “When we only associate joy or fulfilment with big moments, we subject the body to a constant cycle of cortisol spikes and drops. We’ve become accustomed to living in a wait-and-see mode, as if well-being were a future goal and not an experience available now,” she explains.

The benefits of doing everyday things more slowly

In my eagerness to get to everything, I have normalised doing everything in a hurry, even though there’s no rush. I think I’ll ‘save time’ and cross all the tasks off the list. However, since I’ve been dwelling on the pleasure of certain everyday things, I feel more relaxed and focused.

“Valuing the small things starts with something as simple as slowing down the internal rhythm. When the body and mind are in survival mode (with high cortisol levels and the mind on ‘what’s next’), it becomes impossible to celebrate the present moment.

In general, we tend to be more efficient when we’re calm because when we do things quickly, we’re more likely to make mistakes or have to start from scratch, committing more time than if we did it at our own pace from the beginning. Therefore, the first step is to introduce gradual, gentle physiological changes: breathe more slowly and deeply, rest without guilt, and eat with attention to the moment. The brain can only register pleasure when it feels safe,” explains Brenda de la Peña.

How to train mindfulness in everyday life

According to Miren Eguiara Arrázola, psychologist and therapist at the Instituto Psicológico Cláritas, it’s possible to go from autopilot to what she calls “training mindfulness in everyday life”.