Are You Strong Enough to be Quiet?

This week’s topic might make you roll your eyes. That’s OK. This week’s topic may make you think, “I’ve tried and it doesn’t work for me.” That’s OK, too. Keep reading for the why’s and how’s about adding … gasp! … meditation to your daily routine.

There are a lot of reasons people give for not meditating – they don’t understand what it is, they don’t understand what it does for them, and maybe they think they don’t have time for meditation. Let’s take those reasons, one by one:

What is meditation? It’s simply quieting your mind for a few minutes while remaining awake. That’s all. Most major religions have meditative practices, though meditation itself isn’t a religious activity. You don’t need special clothes, music, flexibility, or space to meditate – comfy clothes, a comfy chair or couch, and a space you can be undisturbed for a short period of time will do.

What does meditation do for the body? It reduces stress, along with the harmful stress hormones that are implicated in heart disease, stroke, cancer, and other medical issues. It lowers anxiety, can help you focus better and longer, can keep your brain sharp, improves sleep quality, helps control chronic pain, and can even help fight addictions.

What is the time commitment? Even five minutes a day of quieting your mind will benefit your body, though most researchers find that from 15 to 30 minutes a day in meditation provides maximum benefit.

Building a new habit bucks your brain’s trend, though – brains like to run patterns, which is why it’s often difficult to create a new habit or break an old one. The brain likes the pattern you already have, so the best way to add something new to your daily routine is to decide where it fits best inside an already-established pattern. For instance, maybe you get up in the morning, start the coffee pot, then pick up your phone and start scrolling. To easily add a few minutes of meditation, get up, start the coffee pot, settle comfortably in a quiet spot, and focus on taking long, slow, deep, rhythmic breaths until the coffee is ready. Pour a cup, pick up your phone and start scrolling.

There’s something else about your brain you should be prepared for – brains don’t like to be quiet. They like to focus on something, so when you’re asking yours to be quiet, don’t be surprised if it keeps trying to talk to you. Mine sometimes starts reminding me of the day’s to-do list, the laundry in the dryer, the need to go grocery shopping, the client call that needs to be returned, the big, looming project deadline – maybe your brain does that to you, too? When you notice your brain chattering away during meditation, gently remind it that this is quiet time. Then, go back to focusing on your inhales and exhales, or on a steady sound in your environment – focusing on something boring and mundane helps your brain quit talking. You might have to interrupt your brain’s chatter often – that’s ok, and it’s normal, so try not to get irritated. Just gently remind your brain, over and over and over again if you have to, that it’s quiet time.

You can increase the time you allow for meditation once you’ve established meditation as part of your morning routine. There are a lot of free apps you can use, or you can just set a timer for 15 minutes or so.

• Want to know a bit more about meditation? There’s a Tiny Bite for that!
• Are you positive you want to be more positive? There’s a Tiny Bite for that!
• What’s a good thing to do right after meditation? There’s a Tiny Bite for that!

If you’re still on the fence, go back up and re-read “What does meditation do for the body?” Those benefits are all research-backed, science-based outcomes for real people who’ve added meditation to their daily routine. Our brains and our bodies are designed to run well and be able to stay in balance and in reasonably good health – meditation is a powerful way to help them do that. And the best part? There’s no pills, co-pays or surgeries needed – just a short period of time each day that you dedicate to sitting quietly, focusing on something boring. At the Center for Workplace Happiness, we offer an online course designed to help you begin and maintain a strong meditative practice.

Enjoy the time you give yourself each day in meditation, knowing the good you’re doing for your body, mind and soul!

Wags, Sandy Weaver
Program Director, Center for Workplace Happiness