Credit: Yoga Journal
Take a few minutes to stop and smell the universe.
People’s lives these days are busier than ever. There is so much to do in such a short amount of time that people are always on the go. With all that stress piling up, it pays to take time to meditate. Just a few minutes can boost your productivity each day.
One common misconception that many people have about meditating is that you have to lock yourself away from the world and meditate for at least a half-hour each day. But a 2018 study conducted by researchers at Mass General and Yale University showed that short bursts of meditation can make a world of difference. They found that just small doses of meditation still enhances cognitive performance. Participants exhibited faster response times, greater accuracy, and stronger ability to remain focused while blocking out more distractions.
It is important to remember that you don’t need to dedicate an hour of your day to achieve some of these very productive results. To help in your daily productivity, a few steps are required to accomplish your mini-meditation goals.
The first thing that you want to do is find a comfortable place to sit. It doesn’t matter where, just as long as you feel comfortable. This can allow you to meditate on a lunch break or on a park bench. As long as you’re comfortable, you are good to go.
From there, you need to get your brain into a state of ultra focus. A simple method to accomplish this is to count the first ten breaths that you take. Count each inhale and exhale as one. If you lose focus during this, start all over again. This is an extremely important step in the meditation process.
Once you have achieved that ultra focus, you want to get into a meta awareness state of mind. This is your ability to back away from any racing thoughts going through your mind. Shift your focus to specific sounds, sights, or sensations. It is your time to just let your mind be. Pay attention to those non-stressful things going on in real-time around your life.
End your meditation session with giving an intention that extends beyond yourself. Think about things you want to do in your life that will make you feel like a better person. It helps your mind really focus on a part of yourself that you want to bring to the forefront.
This method is just a quick and simple way to help give your brain some peace of mind. It will help you feel rejuvenated after just 10 minutes or so. Find time each day to spend a few minutes clearing your mind.
