I remember sitting down for my first meditation 6 years back and could not stay still for even a few seconds.
I told myself meditating was not for me. That I had zero focus.
But the reality is that we are conditioned to be busy.
We are conditioned to believe that if we are not doing something, we are wasting time.
We are conditioned to not be present
Because being present means losing precious time.
Eventually I got over this hurdle by using meditations that helped me focus naturally. If you are having a tough time meditating, you can also use brainwave meditations such as Zen12 by Inspire3 or Holosync by Centerpointe. These meditations help with focus immensely.
However, Mindfulness and the benefits of meditation can be experienced by simply you are being present. Here are a few easy tips that will help you become mindful without having to dedicate time to meditation.
- Use short one-minute breathing meditations throughout your day. Using an app such as Calm or Insight Timer will help you keep the time, and the music will give you a point of focus
- If you tend to zone out when speaking to others, this technique will help you become more intentional. Make yourself listen to what he or she is saying instead of thinking of what to say next.
- Become present with your day to day chores like doing the laundry and dishes. Instead of multi-tasking or having your thoughts run in ten different directions, focus all your attention on the task. Use your other senses to bring you back to the task and focus on it. Smell the detergent, look at the foaming soap bubbles – be 100 percent present in the task.
- One of the key tenets of Ayurvedia is not to multitask while eating. When we are focused on our present and present with the act of eating, we tend to chew better and digest better. Bring focus to the texture, smell, and taste of food. Dinner can be a mindful affair.
- Slow down and focus on one task at a time. You will find that you will remember what you need, but will be able to product good results. As you focus on tasks, especially the ones at work, you will find yourself in a state of flow and your productivity will increase by 500% when you are in the highly sought-after state of being. the present moment, we are far more likely to make careless mistakes.
- If you like walking, try a mindful walking meditation. Look at the animal and plant life around you. Be fully present with your surroundings. Touch the trees, smell the air, and express gratitude. You will find that you will feel grounded at the end of it.
- Become a gentle observer of your thoughts and set a “check-in” timer with yourself to observe your thoughts. If you find yourself having negative thoughts, go back and reset. Engage in a mindfulness technique or journal on why you feel the way you do.
- Start becoming away of when you go back into victim mode. Doing this makes it much harder to become mindful. Blaming others is an easier way out instead of trying to fix the problem ourselves. When you are in this state, tune in for a quick minute of meditation and become open to any guidance your receive when you are being silent and present.
