As we reflect on a successful Emotional Fitness Week (January 22 to 26, 2024), it is important to remember that mental health, like your physical health, needs regular upkeep. Your day can get overwhelming at times, and it may be too chaotic to know what to focus on now.
Meditation is a great practice that can help you relax and focus on the ‘now’. It is not a magical pill that will make you an optimal performer overnight. Like going to the gym, you will see improvement in your mindfulness ‘muscles’ over time.
The best thing about meditation is that it is simple. Find yourself a quiet place to sit, set a time limit, close your eyes, and focus on your breath for the set time. Your mind will wonder, but it’s ok, your focus is to be the observer and come back to your breath.
Over time, you will see improvement in stress, anxiety, attention, sleep, along with many other benefits. You will also see improvement in your decision-making skills – harken back to the “Road to Mental Resilience” and “WIN” (What’s important now). Meditation helps you to remain calm and focus your time the most pertinent tasks.
Another great thing about meditation – it doesn’t take a long time. According to research by Dr. Paul Greene at Manhattan Center for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, ten minutes per day is sufficient, and you may choose to do it for longer. That’s ten minutes away from the screen, ten minutes to focus on yourself, and ten minutes for self-improvement.
Meditation is simple, time efficient, and is full of benefits that will help create better future you.