Did you know that LeBron James meditates in between high pressure moments in championship games? Did you know that Bill George (former CEO and current Harvard University Professor) practices mindfulness to improve relationships with people & himself?

Mindfulness and meditation have been important practices in Eastern cultures for centuries, yet in our fast-paced American society, we often don’t allow ourselves the “me time” that we need for optimum mental health.

During a stressful time, have you ever noticed that when you walk away from the situation, clear your head, and come back to the stressor, you’ve handled the situation better than you thought you would? The same concept applies to meditating and being aware of triggers in helping you better tackle tough moments.

How Do I Start Meditating?

We recommend meditating in the morning, giving yourself 10-15 extra minutes in your daily routine. All you need is a quiet place, a timer with the alarm turned on, and an intention for the meditation. Examples of intentions are: being less stressed at work, reaching your sales quota, and having more self-confidence for reaching success.

Before meditating, it’s important to remember a few things.

• Your place of meditation is a judgement-free zone.
• Relax your body & mind and focus on your breathing, taking deep breaths to achieve calm.
• Try to be thought-free while meditating. You will inevitably have thoughts as all humans do, so when thoughts do come to mind, say to yourself “thought…thought…” and return to focusing on soothing music or your breathing.

What Meditation Apps Are Out There?

For iPhone users, there’s the Calm app. While the free version is limited, there are plenty of voice-guided meditation recordings that are about 15 minutes long. These features are great for beginners as a guide can help to calm the mind, which is often the hardest part of meditating.

The app also touches on the practice of being fully present in the moment. It’s human nature to worry and think about the past or future, even while someone is talking to us. You may be surprised how this practice can improve your professional relationships and customer satisfaction.

Got questions? Send us an email!

Author: Jan C. Smith

*No direct affiliation with Apple nor Calm.