Meditation is a practice with myriad research-backed benefits. There is no right way to meditate, and despite a wealth of information on techniques, teachers, and benefits, it is challenging to become a daily meditator. Drawing from personal experience and coaching insights, here are three tips to help you integrate meditation into a busy life.

Tip #1 Establish a Dedicated Space

First, find a place in your home to meditate. Establishing any habit requires a prompt, or a cue to take the desired action. Meditation requires minimal tools, making it easily accessible yet equally forgettable. A dedicated, visible meditation spot can serve as a prompt for a meditation habit.

Choose a comfortable and accessible place first thing in the morning. This could be your bedroom or a living room. Morning is the ideal time because of the existing routines that can serve as a prompt. You are also more likely to feel alert in the morning. The aim is to set up a calm but alert state in order to access the meditative state.

Place a chair or on a meditation cushion that supports a comfortable, upright posture in your bedroom or living room. Associating this spot with meditation, serves as a powerful reminder. Consistently using this space helps your mind and body settle into the practice each time you sit down.

Tip #2 Design a Tiny Habit

The “gold standard” approach to meditation is sitting in silence for 20 minutes twice daily. This is a tall order for anyone especially a beginner. As a Tiny Habits Coach, I recommend starting with a small action (Tiny Behavior), linking it to an existing morning routine or prompt (Anchor Moment) and wiring in the new habit with a Celebration. Try this:

In Tip #1, you established a meditation spot. The Anchor Moment is “after I walk out of the bathroom in the morning”. Having your chair or cushion near the bathroom supports the link between the Anchor Moment and the Tiny Behavior. Linking this to something you already do every morning means you can remember without alarms, post-it notes or your own memory.

Start with a small behavior that you can do now and that does not require a high level of motivation. Taking five breaths can be the beginning of your meditation practice. This may not sound like a lot but it can be the first step toward a longer sit time or “on the way” to practices such as mindfulness, transcendental meditation, centering prayer, etc.

Rehearse Your New Tiny Behavior

It can also be helpful to rehearse this Tiny Behavior a few times. Practice walking out of the bathroom to the chair or cushion and sitting a few times. Does this feel natural or do you want to design a different Recipe that works better for you? For example, an alternative Recipe could be “After I turn on the coffee pot, I will sit in my nearby meditation chair for 5 breaths”.

Research supports that we change best by feeling good, so add in a Celebration Step during or immediately following the Tiny Behavior. This links your new habit to the brain’s reward system; you associate this behavior with feeling good.

In this Recipe, I suggest a gesture of self-compassion such as placing your hands over the center of your chest. This gesture, bowing or sounding a chime, is a common meditation ritual. Even without this gesture, taking 5 slow breaths may, by itself, feel like a Celebration. In the Tiny Habits Method, once a habit is established, Celebration is optional.

As the Tiny Behavior becomes ingrained, you can choose to extend your sitting time. You sit longer when you want to, perhaps using a timer instead of silently counting breaths. Otherwise, sit for 5 breaths. Either way, you are doing your meditation practice.

Please note that I use the word “design” intentionally. If this suggested Recipe does not work, remind yourself it is a design error, not a personal flaw. There is a science and art to this so do not hesitate to revise or get some habit coaching.

Tip #3 Connect with a Community

While meditation is an internal or contemplative practice, support is invaluable. This becomes important when navigating the inevitable obstacles in any contemplative practice such as boredom, distractions or emotional distress[1].

Seek guidance from a teacher, join a meditation group, or attend an in-person retreat to support you in the practice. A retreat will offer an intensive experience and a break from daily responsibilities. Finally, you may find that you can more easily access the meditative state when meditating with a group.

Becoming a meditator is a worthy goal. I share these tips with the hope that anyone drawn to meditation will have the support to make meditation a daily practice. It takes some courage to stop everything and take time to listen inside. We can only share peace if we first experience it inside ourselves.

 

Contributed by Colleen Bertand

Colleen is a wellness coach and consultant who teaches people how to work sustainably and prevent burnout. She is a certified Tiny Habits® Coach.

To find out more, visit colleenbertrand.com or contact her at colleenkanaanbertrand@gmail.com.

 

 

 

 

 

[1] Meditation is generally safe for healthy people, but with anything there are risks. Use discernment when studying with any teacher or community and seek professional mental health as needed.

 

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