How to get started with meditation as a busy person
I’m sure you have heard about meditation, you might have even tried it or be a regular!
However, if you are a high-achiever feeling the pressure of daily life and adult responsibilities alongside the pressure you put on yourself, you probably feel like you haven’t got the time or capacity for yet another thing to be doing, another thing to add to your list of ‘shoulds’.
Maybe you find yourself constantly overthinking, struggling with negative self-talk, and a desire for more meaning in your life. You might feel stuck. You might be a perfectionist who can’t stop procrastinating. There might be a sense of being too busy all the time yet not fully satisfied.
But meditation is not about magically clearing your mind of all thoughts. Instead, think of it as a pause button for a busy mind with non-stop thoughts. You don't need to be completely thoughtless or sit cross-legged for hours. It can be as simple as focusing on your breath, feeling each inhale and exhale. There will still be thoughts that occur, that’s completely normal, but they can slow down. It's a moment to step back, be present in the moment and give your mind a chance to recharge. It is basically a timeout to reset your mind and face the day with a bit more ease and presence.
It has so many benefits. So rather than seeing it as something overwhelming that you don’t have time for, why not try looking at it differently? See it as something that will actually support you to create more of the space you are craving. Making time for meditation will create more mental space for you and self-awareness.
There are various meditation techniques that you can explore. It is a practice where you can use any of these techniques (for example mindfulness - focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity) to train your attention and awareness, and become more present.
If you are looking for fulfillment and meaning in your life, you’re not going to get there if you’re in survival mode - feeling stressed, overwhelmed and criticising yourself all the time! So how can you get out of that difficult and challenging place?
Awareness is always the first step.
Work to build awareness of what’s stopping you from feeling fulfilled and getting in the way right now. You can start to become more present with your feelings, habits and behaviours. Once you do this, you can begin to understand them and then change them. Look at ways you can work towards feeling more fulfilled and making the most of your life.
Meditation and other tools such as journaling can support you with each step of this process.
It might not feel like a productive use of your time initially, especially if you are a high achiever and feel a need to be constantly productive. But over time you’ll notice things start to shift, including the way you think about things. When you have this space and stillness, you feel like you have more time for the things you want to do. It will stop you from becoming burnt out and not being able to do any of the things you need or want to do.
When it comes to changing your thought patterns, becoming more aware and changing things about your life, it’s important to make time for things that are going to support you. What you put in you will get out!
So what are the practical ways you can introduce more meditation and mindfulness into your life?
Start small. Incorporate mini-meditations into your day. Take a few minutes before a meeting or after lunch to simply focus on your breath. It's a subtle yet effective way to bring mindfulness into your routine.
Start the day right. Take the first 5-10 minutes of each day for stillness and meditation and consider how you can use your morning routine to your advantage.
Schedule short breaks in your calendar for meditation. These moments can refresh your mind and boost productivity.
Before you dive into a new task, take a moment to reset. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and consciously shift your focus. It can make a significant difference in your mental clarity.
Use what is available to you. There are so many free apps available that provide guided meditations and other ways to be mindful such as breathwork, EFT tapping, visualisations and more. My favourite is Insight Timer. You can also find a huge selection on YouTube.
Try pairing mindnfulness with parts of your daily routine. For example becoming mindful when you are brushing your teeth, going for a walk or on your daily commute.
Create a bedtime ritual. Spend a few minutes winding down with a calming activity - reading, gentle stretching, or a short meditation - instead of going on your phone. This not only improves sleep quality but also adds a touch of mindfulness to your day's end.
If you want to start introducing meditation into your life without becoming overwhelmed, pick one of these tips to start with initially, and commit to it for a couple of weeks. Notice the difference in how you’re feeling before and after.
Meditation doesn’t just have to be sitting in stillness and silence for a set amount of time. There are so many different ways to start bringing more mindfulness into your life. You could try mindful eating or do a walking meditation, and all this means is just becoming fully present whilst doing these activities, noticing what’s going on with all 5 senses, noticing your breathing and any thoughts that come up.
Even a few minutes a day can bring so many benefits, some of these include stress reduction, increased self-awareness, better focus and improved sleep.
Meditation is extremely powerful and can be used alongside various other tools and techniques to help you create the life you want. It opens your mind, helps you to understand yourself better and to feel more fulfilled in life.
So even though you may be feeling overwhelmed right now, and like you can’t possibly make the time for yet another thing, there are options available to you and ways through it. You don’t have to have all the time in the world, you can start with just a few minutes a day! You can honestly get so much out of creating a bit of space for meditation and mindfulness in your life, it can have a positive impact in all areas of your life.
Give it a go and watch the change start to happen.
Free guided meditation for busy minds
Go from stressed to calm in 18 minutes a day with this free guided meditation to support support you to slow down, release stress and let go of the things holding you back. Listen to this every day to create positive change at the root and give yourself a boost for the day.
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