How to Meditate When You Have Little to No time
3 Ways to Meditate That Actually Work When Low on Time
Have you ever felt drawn to meditation but had absolutely no idea how to add yet another thing to your onto your never-ending to-do list.
Just maybe you have practiced many times only to come up short of converting it into a sustainable habit. Perhaps life persistently gets in the way, completely disrupting your intentions establish some semblance of consistency.
Whatever the case may be, know that you are not alone. This post will outline how to meditate when you have little to no time.
Common Misconceptions
In recent years there’s been a big shift to unsubscribe from the long-taunted hustle mentality to adopt a lifestyle that is rooted in health, wellness, and well-being. Who wouldn’t want to adopt a lifestyle that openly embraces mindfulness practices that help ti ease the unpredictable stresses that come with the invariable ebbs and flows of life?
Naturally, most are open and willing to do absolutely everything they possibly can to embrace a more easeful lifestyle. Likewise with most things in life, evolving ingrained habits, and routines are easier said than done. Understandably, there’s a significant difference between wanting and doing. Like with most things, you can’t just try something completely new and believe that you can magically convert it into a sustainable habit overnight.
Much like anything new, it requires time and consistent concerted effort. Only when it comes to adding a new practice to an existing tight schedule it becomes that much more difficult to navigate. Outwardly it may seem easy enough to adopt. However, consistently putting in the work regardless of whether you have the mental fortitude is a completely different story.
Practically no one is immune to the taxing daily demands of obligations, and responsibilities. Bridging the gap between desiring to do something new to actually doing it with a degree of consistency can prove a daunting task. Likewise, one of the most common barriers to consistently is time.
In recent years, the concept of meditation has evolved into a practice that requires you to reconfigure practically every aspect of your life. From the quality of the foods you eat and drink, the brand, label, and sustainability of the clothing you wear, to the type, quality, and frequency of the exercises you engage in, misconceptions about what practicing mindfulness and meditation should look like often overshadows its accessibility.
Meditation Demystified
Meditation is an accessible practice that is widely available to all who are open and willing to practice. Contrary to popular belief there are no prerequisites to practice, other than to simply show up with an open willingness to practice just as you are. In other words, you do not have to contort yourself to fit within any preconceived notions or proverbial boxes to prequalify for practice.
On any given day we are bombarded by any number of distractions that threaten to pull our attention away from our intentions. Regardless of the task at hand, we can and are often over-inundated with any number of things that simultaneously compete for our attention. Add the natural ebbs and flows of life on top of the many preexisting obligations, and responsibilities and you often find yourself within the throughs of a highly stressful state.
Unfortunately, despite our best intentions cultivating new habits, is no easy task especially when it comes to navigating the very thing that seems that we all have so very little of. Unlike many of the countless other things in which we can maneuver in our favor, time is not one of them. We only get twenty-four hours in a day, and for many adding yet another demand onto your precious time is not ideal. Historically mediation has been associated with a specific demographic, ethnicity, body type, and socioeconomic class, having the financial means and luxury of time to devote to practice. Only perception very rarely captures the essence of reality.
This raises a very intriguing question what is mediation, and more importantly, how can you engage when you have little to no time?
Meditation is the practice of paying singular focused attention onto an intended focus. Be it the natural rhythm and flow of the breath, or the ambient sounds of nature on a warm summer day, it is an individualized practice that empowers you to have volution over where you are placing your attention at any given time. Essentially there are many different types and forms of meditation that range from walking, sitting, contemplative, movement, mantra, and the list goes on.
Regardless of how much available time you have at your disposal, any and everyone can meditate. From as little as one minute to as much as an hour and beyond, you can designate as much or as little time to practice, the choice is yours. Just know that it is a flexible practice that empowers you to shape it, to better meet you exactly where you are in your journey. Simply designate a suitable amount of time to sit, in quiet solitude to focus your attention on an intended focus, allowing yourself to flow into an energy of relaxation.
Naturally, the mind with its wandering nature will likely be distracted by ambient noises, sounds, thoughts, and all manner of things, which will invariably steal your attention away from your intended focus. Anytime distractions prevail, you will encounter any number of energetically charged emotions that will mistakenly lead you to believe that perhaps this practice isn’t meant for you. If this in the least bit resembles your experience, rest assured you are not alone.
In fact, practically everyone novice, and advanced practitioners alike all experience some level of distractions. However, like with most things in life, persistence is key. Much in the same way, success doesn’t happen overnight, practice done with consistency yields sustainable results. Likewise, quality over quantity. In other words, sustainable habits are built as a result of consistent quality effort.
3 Ways to Meditate That Actually Work When Low on Time
1. Designate Time
The first step in making a change is to grant yourself permission to begin. One can have no foot in the race if you never allow yourself to make the first move. Know that it is perfectly ok to designate any amount of time as a starting point. Rest assured and know that most if not all of the world’s best athletes, successful businessmen, and the like all started somewhere.
2. Practice
As the age-old song used to tout, there ain’t nothing to it but to do it. Practice, Practice, Practice. There is no act that can ever prepare you any better than diving in, to experience and practice for and by yourself.
3. Begin Again
Despite your best efforts, something and/or someone will likely threaten to completely dismantle your best intentions. Not if but when that happens, don’t take it personally, simply allow yourself the space and grace to begin again regardless of how many times it takes.