Imagine being able to ride the waves of drama and frustration in the office with a sense of calm, like a rock that stands tall among the waters. That urgent project is a source of focus instead of stress. You feel compassion towards the coworker that used to annoy you, and you don’t take anything personally. Does this sound like an impossible dream? It can happen for you with a daily meditation practice, truly!
“Meditation is not to escape from society, but to come back to ourselves and see what is going on. Once there is seeing, there must be acting. With mindfulness we know what to do and what not to do to help.”
Thich Nhat Hanh
5 Easy Meditation Practices
The positive effects of meditation on our health are well-documented. Actually following through with meditation practice is the tricky part. Much like we all know that vegetables are better for our health than ice cream, knowing is not enough. When you’re feeling burned out, the willpower to do something that is outside of our comfort zone just isn’t there. Finding small actions or reframing what you already do to be aligned with your Beliefs and Loves helps to regain some of that willpower. Calming the anxiety that often goes along with burnout is another step towards recovery.
Here are 5 simple practices to get you started:
1. One Breath Meditation
The idea of sitting to meditate for any length of time is filled with opportunities for our brain to create excuses. You don’t need 20 minutes, or even 5 minutes for this practice. You don’t need a fancy cushion or a perfectly quiet environment. This can be done at your desk, in the middle of a stressful meeting, or as you walk down the hallway. All you need is one breath. Start with any exhale- notice your natural breath as it leaves your lungs, no need to change anything. When the natural cycle of the exhale is complete, pause, and then notice the inhale. That’s it. If it feels right to continue, do so- only committing to one breath at a time.
2. Square Breathing
This practice takes the one breath meditation up a notch. This method is taught to soldiers to help create calm when the body’s fight or flight response is triggered. It’s an excellent way to stop the anxiety cycle, which you may not even realize you’re trapped in. I know that I had such frequent anxiety when I was burned out, that it became my “normal” status. This is another method that can be done just about anywhere, no special meditation gear required. Here is the process:
Breathe in through your nose for a slow count of 4 (1… 2… 3… 4…)
Hold your breath with your lungs filled for a slow count of 4 (1… 2… 3… 4…)
Exhale slowly through your mouth for a slow count of 4
Hold your breath with the lungs empty for a slow count of 4
Repeat the cycle a total of 4 times. I keep a count of the number of breath cycles by tapping my fingers against my leg.
This works in part because you are putting so much focus on the counting- all other thoughts are pushed to the side. You may find that initially, your 4 count needs to be faster and that over time you are able to slow this down or add more seconds to your count. Do what feels right for you.
3. Doodling
I don’t know about you, but I absolutely detest meetings. Nothing triggers my stress faster than a “mandatory” meeting, especially when it’s clear that the meeting is really just a series of announcements. (Seriously, isn’t that what emails were made for?) The only way I was able to survive many years of frustrating meetings was by doodling. I always brought a notebook, and I did take notes but I also made a LOT of scribbles, zentangles, and doodles of all kinds in the margins. Now studies show that doodling actually helps to increase focus and decrease stress. If anyone gives you a hard time about your doodling habit, point them to the evidence!
4. Listen to stress-reducing music
The song “Weightless” by Marconi Union was actually created along with sound therapists to induce physical responses like a lower heart rate and lowered cortisol (stress hormone) levels. “Weightless” induces a 65% reduction in anxiety and a 35% reduction in usual physiological resting rates.” (Forbes 2016) Just don’t drive while you listen to this one! It’s so calming it can actually induce drowsiness. I like it when I’m feeling anxious, it immediately brings the anxiety down so I can focus. I do notice that if I listen for an extended period, I feel sleepy so if you’re heading into an important meeting I would limit it to 5 minutes or so.
5. One word mantra
When you’re ready to try a longer meditation, use a one-word mantra to help focus rather than trying to “empty your mind” (whatever that means!). Brendon Burchard (author of High Performance Habits) uses the word “Release”, repeating this slowly and silently during meditation to create a release of stress and attachment. Think about what you’re trying to bring into your life and use that as a focus: balance, calm, compassion – choose one word that best represents your goal. Set a timer for 5 minutes to start (once you’re comfortable with 5 minutes, try 10 minutes, and slowly increase with a goal of 20 minutes). Sit comfortably, with your feet flat on the floor and hands resting in your lap. Gently close your eyes or use a soft focus where you allow your gaze to relax and almost look past whatever you are seeing, allowing it to blur. Breathe naturally, and slowly repeat your mantra in your head. If you lose focus, just bring it back as soon as you are aware- this is the practice! Learning how to refocus is the most beneficial part of meditation because if you can learn how to bring your awareness back to the present, you will be able to do this even when you’re not meditating.