This post was inspired and written because a subscriber asked, “How do I find time to meditate?” It’s a great question and one that many people face when they decide they want to begin meditating. We all know about the benefits of a consistent meditation practice, but how do we make that happen when there’s the job, kids, cleaning the house and everything else? Let’s explore.
- Schedule Your Meditations. For someone who has trouble with routine, this first step is a bit ironic but scheduling a regular time to sit and meditate will significantly improve practice. It may even be helpful to write out a plan on paper or use a tool like Google Calendar to squeeze in some “sit on the cushion” time. Digital calendars allow you to set reminders, so you don’t forget!
- This Is a Distraction-Free Zone. Time for self-reflection is necessary, so make sure to find the best bang for your buck time-wise. If waking up before the rest of the family works, that’s a perfect time to practice. Or if it’s easier, after everyone in the house is asleep slip off to your cushion. Remember when practicing meditation, the mind should be relaxed and not sleepy, so you’ll want to look for that sweet spot where you’re not dozing off.
- Look for Small Holes in Your Schedule. Life is busy, and everyone is on the go, but we shouldn’t use this as a reason not to practice. When beginning meditation, we are not practicing for half an hour to an hour; we may not even be practicing for fifteen minutes. Five minutes or less of breathing meditation is all you need. Observe your schedule and look for small openings this is where the magic happens.
- Commit to Your Schedule. It will take some tweaking to find the right time that works best. Try three to five days in the am and then three to five days in the pm to see which times are the most effective. Once you have established the perfect slot, commit to that slot and drop everything else. Before you sit to meditate, turn off the computer and devices, put your phone on airplane mode, and if you live with roommates or family let them know that you expect to be undisturbed.
- Where’s the Fire? With that said, there may be times when emergencies pop up. You’ll have to determine what qualifies as an emergency and what can wait until the session is over. Chances are the only fires will be imaginary like social media and email notifications, and those can always wait. However, if it’s a real fire, you’ll naturally want to put it out.
- Meditate Anyway. Look, don’t beat yourself up. We know that the benefits of meditation are great, but we also know that life is loaded with ups and downs so if you miss a session, if you get distracted or even if you fill like meditation is not working just sit and meditate anyway. Meditation is not about winning a prize or even about turning your mind off, it’s about cultivating inner-peace, and this takes practice.
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Originally appeared on CM.
Photo by Pixabay.