I find mindfulness much more effective for me than mediation. I struggle quite a lot with quieting my mind with nothing, but quieting it with active attention to things around me seems much more doable.

For me, it's just reminding myself to be present, whatever I'm doing. If I'm stuck in traffic, I notice what's around me. If I'm in class, it's bringing my focus back on the instructor. If I'm working with animals, I almost have to be mindful, or someone's going to get hurt.

I really like the idea of noticing 6 sounds. It's amazing how many individual sounds you hear when you really start listening for them.