We are in the age of multi-tasking, coffee-binging, and late work nights. With so much stress and chaos in our everyday lives, it is easy to forget about taking care of yourself. Stress can lead to low work performance, weight gain and mental/emotional issues. There are different ways to handle stress, but one great method is meditation. Here are a few tips to achieve your ultimate Zen state.
What is Meditation?
Meditation is the practice of deep thinking. It is a way to focus on a problem through calm concentration and relaxation. It gives your mind and body time to contemplate and deliberate on issues, problems, or everyday life. It is believed that while calming your mind, you are able to resist the urge to over-think, over-analyze and over-focus on everything that might be going on in your life. By taking a step back and silencing these thoughts, you are better able to come up with solutions.
Relaxing Your Mind
What if I can’t stop thinking? How am I supposed to sit still for so long? How do I focus on nothing? There are many types of meditation and many ways to perform it. There is no right way. You can meditate while taking a walk or cooking a meal. There is no reason for you to light incense, blast the sounds of the ocean and try to stop thinking altogether. That is tough and most people are incapable of completely shutting off their mind without practice. However, the main goal is to relax your mind. Try focusing in on one problem. What about this problem needs to be solved? Is it something that you should be focusing 100% of your energy and worries on? Probably not. Meditation can help you work through problems without freaking out about them.
Getting Started
If you’ve meditated before then you are probably aware of the many apps, online tutorials and information out there to help you. For example, The Art of Living shares reading materials to walk you through different types of meditation and can even help you find the best course for you. And in an age of “there’s an app for that,” there really is an app for meditation. Several, actually. Our favorite is HeadSpace which gives you guided sessions with different time intervals. They also have “singles” for mindful meditation on the go, when in crisis and when you want a quick 5-10 minute session. There are different series, as well, that can help you focus on relationships, health, performance and more. With a soothing voice to guide you through each session, you will find that this is one simple way to start your meditation journey.
Now, turn off your mind and relax for a bit.
