We’ve probably all heard about the benefits of meditation. Practicing mindfulness meditation can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, improve sleep, and more. The classic method for reaping these benefits is to sit with your eyes closed for at least 20 minutes, pay attention to your breathing, and as thoughts crop up, gently notice them without judgement and bring your attention back to your breath. Like many things in life, we know meditation can help us, but how do we find the time? Some of us feel overwhelmed at the thought of trying to fit something else into our busy schedules. Others feel uncomfortable sitting still for that long.
Meditation Alternatives
If a classic mindfulness meditation technique doesn’t work for you, there are many different forms of meditation that you can try. If you don’t have much spare time, or if you are trying meditation for the first time, there are some fun, easy alternatives. The good news is that you can still gain some benefits from an alternate practice. Even better, if you enjoy your practice, that can help set you up for consistency, which is really the key to gaining benefits from meditation. Three of the easiest alternatives to try are music meditation, walking meditation, and nature meditation.
Music
One of the simplest and most enjoyable options is to listen to music. Ideally, you can choose one or more of your favorite songs to listen to. If possible, use headphones and close your eyes to help you focus solely on the music — this will help you get more of a meditation benefit. Try to sit in a comfortable chair where you can relax, or even try laying down. You can listen to as many songs as you have time for. Even one song is a good place to start!
Walking
Another enjoyable option is to do a walking meditation outside. For the best experience, choose a spot you love or appreciate, such as your favorite park or walking path. As you are walking, pay attention to each step you take and think “right,” “left” as your right and then left foot touches down. If you prefer, you could simply focus on the sensation of each foot touching the ground. Try this for a few minutes initially to get the hang of it.
Nature
If you are really short on time, you can try opening a door or window to observe the leaves on a tree or a bush or flowers. Just focus your attention on the color, shape, or movement of the leaves or petals. You could also do this while indoors, looking out, but stepping outside or opening a door or window will give you the added benefit of feeling a sense of connection with nature. You can do this for as many minutes as you like. Or, you can try this in brief bursts throughout the day to get a breath of fresh air and to reconnect with the natural world.
Dr. Lauren Forgacs is an organizational development psychologist and applied positive psychologist, with more than six years of service in the federal government and 20 years of private sector experience, including award-winning accomplishments with a top five management consulting firm. She provides expert guidance and customized solutions to federal leaders on organizational development and culture, change management, leadership, teambuilding, employee engagement, and psychological safety. She is an expert on human-centered leadership and recently developed a year-long, cohort-based training program to enhance enterprise-wide leadership skills, organizational effectiveness, and the employee experience. Dr. Forgacs has held several leadership positions, effectively leading and motivating remote, hybrid, and on-site teams. She is also a certified federal leadership coach and a Gallup-certified strengths coach.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.