A friend recently lamented that she felt so unproductive lately and also that her creativity level was at an all time low. "I just don't feel like I'm doing my best work, I know I can do really good stuff but its just not happening lately."
I suggested she meditate, something I do regularly and have benefitted from in more ways than one.
"It only takes 20 minutes," I said.
"Twenty minutes? A week? I don't have 20 minutes a week for that. I have two kids."
"Actually, its 20 minutes, twice a day," I explained.
"What? You're kidding me right? Where am I going to find 40 minutes every single day? I could use another 2 hours as it is."
I understood her predicament. Single mother, full time job...that equals a negative in the personal time category. Yet I knew that if she didn't find this quiet time just for herself, she would never get out of her rut.
"Ok," I said. "How about if you just find 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening? Can you get up 10 minutes earlier?"
She thought she could do that. But she wasn't sure it would happen everyday. Which is OK, a few times a week is better than nothing.
Silent meditation first thing in the morning is a good way to usher you into the day. Instead of waking up, jumping out of bed and starting the running around of the day, take just 10 minutes to listen to the quiet. If you enter the day in a calm manner, you'll more likely have a calm day.
Same thing in the evening. If you ease out of the day, you'll most likely sleep better and feel more rested in the morning.
Grounding yourself twice a day gives your mind a chance to catch up - if you practice this, I bet you'll be more productive and more creative when you need to be.
How do you meditate?
"So, what I have to sit with my toes tucked into my armpits and moan?" My friend, the comedienne.
"No, only if you want to and if that method works for you."
Seriously though, I'd start out simply. Its best not to be in bed when you meditate, as it may prompt you to fall asleep. Its OK if you fall asleep, but its not really what you want.
Try this:
- Sit up in a comfortable chair with your feet on the floor. Make sure you are in a quiet place. Use earplugs to drown out any sound or use earphones to listen to quiet instrumental music.
- Set a timer or note on your watch what time you are starting and what time you want to stop.
- Close your eyes. Breathe deeply and concentrate on your breaths. Putting your attention on your breaths is the best way to start meditating. Its hard to think of "nothing", impossible maybe, so setting your thoughts only on your breathing will distract your mind from stressful thinking.
- Simply breath and concentrate on your breaths until it is time to stop. Then, slowly open your eyes and sit for a moment longer to acclimate back to the world.
Twenty minutes, twice a day is ideal. But I know we all have busy, busy lives, so try for 10 minutes twice a day. If you can't do 10, do 5, but try to do it once in the morning and once in the evening.
Let me know if you feel more productive and/or more creative. It works for me, so I thought I'd share.
As for my friend, she started this practice getting just one or two sessions in per week. But she found even that little amount changed how she was feeling, so now she does 10 minutes, twice a day every other day with a goal for every day. "Its my own 'me' time, sometimes its all I get. I cherish my meditation time now. On days I meditate, I'm happier, less stressed and best of all more productive at work and at home!"
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