Meditation isn’t sitting in silence trying to not have any thoughts, it’s actually just focused attention. There are many different ways to meditate, even when you’re short on time. Here are 20 easy ways to sneak in a quick meditation when you’re busy but want to de-stress.
- Listen to a song you can lose yourself in (but not while you’re driving, obvi).
We hypnotize ourselves all the time, even when we’re driving (highway hypnosis — it’s when you know you’re driving and you end up at your destination but you barely remember getting there or even the act of driving at all). Sometimes we get lost in music on the highway, but I’m not talking about that here.
When you’re short on time and want to sneak in a quick meditation, carve out a few minutes to be present and consciously sit down and listen to a piece of music that moves you. It can be any genre so long as you find it to be something you resonate with. Listen with your full being and just notice what you notice about the way your body feels.
- Wash the dishes consciously
Listen to the sound of the water as it runs over your hands. Notice how your hands feel when the water runs over them. Maybe you can notice the smell of the soap and how brilliant the bubbles look when they radiate the colors of pinks and purples. Maybe you can even notice and enjoy the squishy texture of the sponge and the different textures of the surfaces of what is to be cleaned. Perhaps you can feel a sense of gratitude upon the accomplishment of the task. - Take a shower
We become extra relaxed in the shower with the water literally washing away the day or any icky energy we might have picked up. We become very open (ever notice the best ideas come in the shower?) and receptive to inspiration and creativity.
Showers can be a meditative experience when you are allowing yourself to relax, feeling the water on your skin, smelling the scents of the soap or shampoo, exploring the way your hands move over your body, and letting the experience bring you fully into that moment. - Let your body move to music
Dance and movement are excellent ways to meditate that we don’t usually think of. Just simply swaying back and forth to a piece of relaxing music with your eyes closed can help reset and balance your nervous system. Let the music take your body where it wants to go and try to feel how that music is directing you to move. - Take a silent walk around the block.
Put the phone down, leave your walkman at home, and take a quick stroll around the block (or the park, or even the parking lot in a pinch). Listen to all the sounds you hear. Listen for the sounds of your feet on the ground, your breath, your heart, any sounds from animals or cars, anything nature gives you.
If you want to get a little more advanced, see how far you can hear. Push your ability to hear past where you are and notice what you notice.
- Listen to a guided meditation for people “on the go”
There are lots of great apps out there that offer a plethora of meditations, and finding one to fit your time budget is easier than ever. I use an app called Insight Timer, but there’s also Calm, and Headspace. Or, you can simply listen to this 5 minute meditation I’ve made for my YouTube channel. - Play an ocean drum
These instruments sound like the ocean and are a great way to relax in a light trance. I got a cheap one on Amazon and it works just as well as my big expensive one. Here are two ways I like to use the drum:
- Work to move only one bead at a time, slowly and deliberately, staying focused on where the beads are traveling and at what speed.
- Close your eyes and softly move the drum either in circles or tilting side to side. Let yourself get lost in the sound and imagine yourself on the beach listening to the gentleness of the waves.
- Deep Breathing
When you only have a few minutes, deep breathing can do wonders to bring you back to a peaceful, calm space.
Simply close your eyes and breathe. Notice where you’re breathing from (high up in your chest/shoulders, in your middle chest, lower belly). Honor where you’re at and take a few deep breaths there.
Then try and bring that breath down lower into your belly, perhaps even putting your hands around the area of your belly button, gently and deeply breathing into that space. Follow your breath in and out for as long as feels good to you. - Box Breathing
Set aside a few minutes to be with your breath. Notice your natural rhythm of where you’re at in the moment.
Then, breathe in for a count of 4, hold for a count of 4, breathe out for a count of 4, hold for a count of 4. Go at a pace that feels comfortable to you, maybe slowing down a bit every round, or even adding a few more counts to help you deepen your relaxation.
- Body Scan
Start at the top of your head and simply notice the area. Is there any tension or tightness you may be holding? If so, let your attention help you release it, even if just for a moment.
Continue down your head, noticing your forehead, eyes, noes, cheeks, jaw, upper neck, and throat, simply placing your attention on each area, consciously breathing into each space and calling in relaxation. Work your way down the entire body, ending with the soles of your feet.
This can also be done as more of a chakra cleanse, focusing on each of the energy centers and breathing into them while noticing what sensations may be there. - Sound Release
Using our own natural sound of our voice can help reconnect us to ourselves while calming the nervous system.
Breathe in and let out a gentle hum. Repeat this a few times then change the hum to an “ah”. Let the sound break up any dense energy as you feel the vibrations of your voice in your body. Notice the connection to your body and breath. - Body Rhythm
Create your own rhythm in the body and let it take you into your breath as it moves through you. This could look something like breathing out forcefully followed by two quicker inhales that create a rhythm of slow, quick quick slow. Let yourself get lost in the rhythm of the breath, then add movement. Don’t think about it, just let whatever wants to flow come through. - Journal a brain dump
Grab a notebook and just start writing a stream of consciousness. Write down whatever pops into your mind, in whatever form wants to show up — be it a list, a drawing, or a jumble of words that don’t seem to make any sense.
The mind wants to hold on to things but when they’re written down it takes a step back and relaxes. Get whatever is on your mind out and clear your headspace. Set a timer for 5-10 minutes and just write. Then add another five minutes to let some of the deeper stuff surface. - Chant a mantra
Whether it’s something like Om Mani Padme Hum or Every day in every way I am getting better, and better, and better, letting yourself repeat a phrase can help to relax the mind and body.
Using the voice and repeating the words out loud is the best, but just under the breath or in the mind works well too. The idea here is to focus only on the words and the breath, not letting yourself get distracted by any outside thoughts for the duration of the time you set aside. Keep your attention on the words as they move through you. - Create something with your hands
It doesn’t have to be elaborate, but doing something with your hands can bring you to that meditative state and clear the mind chatter. Things like washing the dishes (see #2), gardening, drawing, painting, crocheting, making jewelry, cooking, and even a mini manicure can get you out of a cluttered headspace with focused attention to the task at hand (pun intended). - Get lost in a book for 10 -15 minutes.
Give it your undivided attention for just a small amount of time. Shut the phone off, read an actual book made of paper, in a nice comfy or inspiring space, maybe grab something delicious to sip, and be completely present in the experience.
Notice the feel of the book, the smells, and any imagery that comes to mind (even if you get lost in your imagination and have to reread the paragraph. That’s what we’re going for here. It’s not a race to finish the chapter.) - Ground to the Earth
Go outside, be barefoot, do mountain pose, imagine yourself with roots, or simply connect with the light of the earth. It can be as little as 90 seconds for you to notice a shift, but you have to make sure you’re absolutely present for the full time.
Breathe deeply and deliberately, feeling your connection to the Earth. Feel the heaviness of your body and how the Earth is supporting you. Call in her light, strength, and revitalizing energy. - Set your timer for 5 minutes of yoga
Pick your favorite pose/s and allow yourself to be fully present, in the body, noticing how you’re breathing and how your body feels. Notice if thoughts come in and allow them, just be sure to return your focus to your breath and not hook into the thought. Hang in each pose for 30 – 60 seconds while you focus on being present. - Make yourself a meal
Be very deliberate and tune into the subtle differences in temperature, scent, texture, taste, and action while you prepare and eat your meal. Focus your attention on the process without being distracted by the phone, TV, other people, or what’s happening in the next room over. The whole task of making yourself a meal becomes the perfect time to sneak in a meditation. - Stare at the sky
Take a seat and set a timer for 5-10 minutes and just stare at the sky. Or a tree. A flower. A picture. Anything that catches your attention. Simply allow yourself to sit for a few minutes and get lost in the details of what you see. Let yourself dream about what it might be like to fly among the clouds, like a bird soaring above the treetops. Soak in the beauty of what you see and all that is beyond your current state of being.
Bonus tip – see if at least once a week you could add 30 – 60 seconds to your practice, or even do two different exercises in one sitting.
If you like these suggestions but prefer to listen to short guided meditations, check out my Feel Your Light YouTube channel where I’ve got some meditations and hypnotic sessions posted. I’m adding new ones weekly, so subscribe and turn on notifications to get the latest drops!
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