Last week I gave a talk at Honest Co., Jessica Alba’s clean product company. It was great to be with a group of young energetic employees who are open to mindfulness, meditation, and wellness. At a different meeting, I had a talk with a company that all about the worst possible scenario. Why should people do this? What is going to be the benefit? What if the program backfires? I’m happy to tell you that both companies are moving forward with robust wellness programs, not because they believe it will save money, but because they believe it’s the right thing to do to take care of their employees. The companies are mindful about their people.
I’m the first guy to say wellness is a program of attraction. If you don’t think it’s going to work for you, then most likely it won’t. Or you’ll have a hard time trying to reap what you’re sowing. Even for you holdouts, there is good news. Mindfulness and meditation don’t take a lot of time or training, and they can make your people a lot happier and more relaxed.
Here are a few simple tips that are quick and easy:
Take a deep breath. Yup, that’s it. All you have to do it take a deep breath to change your state of being. It opens the door to a more relaxing feeling and is the beginning of finding your inner calm.
Take an inhale for 5 seconds, hold it for 5 seconds, then exhale for 5 seconds. Repeat this 3 times, or more for that matter. You’ll see that this simple exercise takes your state of calmness to a whole new level. I find it’s nice to do that a few times, then sit in silence and relax. All of that will take under 2 minutes.
Follow your inhales and exhales. This is a time tested practice. As you inhale, say to yourself, I’m inhaling, notice your ribs expand, your lungs expand, and your diaphragm lower. While you exhale, notice your lungs deflate, ribs get come in, and diaphragm go higher. The exercise here is to stay present. You’ll notice that as you start following your breath, your mind will get distracted. Always bring it back to your breathing.
Take a body scan. This is another traditional meditation from the mindfulness tradition. This one takes a bit more time, but it super easy to do. Start from the top of your head and slowly bring your attention down your head, face, and neck, continuing throughout your entire body. When you notice any tension, consciously release the tension and continue on. If you find yourself holding, stop there, move a bit if you need to, then continue.
All these techniques have a profound effect on your well being. They are simple and powerful. If you’re not a regular meditator, these techniques are the beginning of your practice. Good luck and as always I’m here to help you along the way. Send me a message @teddymcdonald, you can also sign up for my free 3 part meditation course here.
Originally published on the author’s blog.