Take The Time

Lets talk meditation. Most of us spend everyday juggling multiple things both literally and in our heads. We seldom stop simply for the sake of stopping. You are just as likey to hear the mention of “stopping to smell the roses” in a sarcastic tone as a genuine tone. One of my favorite movie quotes is from The Devil Wears Prada. Merel Streep says, “By all means, move at a glacial pace. You know how that thrills me.” Humans in contemporary society aren’t known for our abundant patients. Why do we embrace this approach to productivity? Studies have shown that working less hours makes most people more productive. Cultures that encourage time off and wellness see lower rates of depression, anxity, and suicide.

So what can we do? You probably cannot go to your boss and sell the idea of a reduced work week or add paid time for things like yoga or meditation. Although, if you can, I encourage you to consider taking up the cause. For those of us that don’t have openminded and progressive employers I want to advocate for 5 minutes of meditation once every day. You can do it sitting on the side of your bed after you put your socks on. You could sit at the kitchen counter with your coffee. If you’re like me and meditation first thing in the morning will equal going back to sleep, consider a lunch time meditation. This is my personal favorite. It gives me a mental break in the middle of the day which not only calms me down I find I am significantly more patient when my kids get home from school. I am going to include my five minute peaceful energy meditation here but a quick google search will yeild many more options. I also suggest using the Calm app. I don’t get paid to say this. I love it so much I have a life time membership. I use it primarily for sleep but when I need a guided mediation Calm is one of the first places I check. I invite you to take these 5 minutes a day to meditate everyday for one week. If you want to take it one step further consider journaling, or drawing how you’re feeling each day after your meditation and see what has changed between day one and day seven. These notes can be as simple as bullet points. Do what you have time for and what works best for you! When it comes to wellness advice take what works and leave the rest. Wellness practices have never and will never be one size fits all. So break the “rules” and do what feels good to you!