A lot of people struggle to meditate because they find it agonizingly boring. It’s difficult to sit still and think about nothing. How can you clear your mind when there’s so much to think about? Recently, I was walking with a friend who explained that he finds it physically painful – even if he’s not trying to sit like a pretzel!
There’s a perception that meditation and mindfulness is something that has to be done for long periods of time – a half hour at least, but meditation classes are often even longer – in order to have any benefit. Imagine trying to hold a plank for thirty minutes or running a marathon without slowly building up the strength to do so. Whether you’re brand new to meditation, returning after a break, or have always thought that meditation just “doesn’t work for me”, I recommend starting with very short micro-sessions to help build up your skills at a sustainable pace to avoid frustration and injury.
Set a timer for one minute and try to focus on just one sensation in your body – the feeling of your breath coming through your nostrils, the position of your shoulders, the itchiness of your left hand. When the timer rings, move on, go back to what you were doing. A minute may feel like an eternity, much like a minute of running feels nearly impossible to many new runners.
I’ve built up to much longer meditation sessions now but I still practice these micro-meditations daily while standing in lines, riding the bus, waiting for a meeting or appointment, when I’m stuck while writing, and between tasks. One of my favourite places to use this strategy is when I’m standing in my kitchen opening the cupboards and the fridge over and over, trying to find something to snack on – taking just a few breaths and settling into my body helps me figure out what I’m really looking for (usually either water or chocolate). Micro-meditation provides nearly immediate benefits as a quick reset while also helping me build stronger long term connections to my mind and body. And those minutes add up – one minute, five times a day is more than half an hour of meditating each week.
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