Meditation For Busy People: 6 Easy Ways to a Calmer Mind

Meditation, the practice of clearing your mind by focusing using a combination of physical and mental techniques, is a great activity to do when you’re stressed out to the max.

But what happens if your mind is too busy to meditate?

What if you’re a single parent who never gets a moment to yourself, let alone a full 5 minutes to twist yourself into a pretzel-like shape, sit in complete silence and ohm your way to a calmer mind?

Meditation is a powerful tool for relaxing and getting a little mental clarity back, but it can feel daunting when your mind is racing at full pelt, with no one behind the steering wheel. 

It is possible to find your little moments of calm without lighting an incense stick or chanting under the light of a full moon.

In the blog, I will show you 6 easy ways that you can use to meditate, even if you’re a busy person.

Why Should I Meditate?

Stress. That’s why.

The latest statistics indicate 74% of adults in the UK are stressed, and is it any wonder after the last few years?  The impact of this statistic means that both our mental and physical health is being adversely affected.

The effects of long-term stress put our overall health at risk.  [link to stress blog] To cope, some people turn to food to self-medicate, gaining weight, leading to a new set of health problems. 60% of UK adults medicate through alcohol.  And whilst a social gin is perfectly acceptable, there can be a time with alcohol when the fun stops.  Stress can also bring with it a whole array of mental health problems including anxiety and depression.  

As a nation, we are getting sicker. Managing your stress levels is crucial for improving your overall wellbeing.

Lowering stress levels will enhance your focus on tasks, improving productivity whether at work or home.  Your emotional health improves with lower stress, fostering a positive outlook and emotional stability.

It can also improve your sleep hygiene; a better night’s sleep means everything feels better.  You will have more energy to tackle the day.  

It will also lower blood pressure levels and boost your immune system.

Regular meditation and breathwork are just two essential components in a self-care routine when looking for ways to lower stress levels and develop your resilience.

How Can I Find The Time to Meditate?

Life can be hectic, so carving out time to meditate can often seem impossible.  But even just a few minutes a day can make a difference to your stress levels, and therefore your capacity and your mental resilience.

There are times when it can seem as if your mind is like a radio station, with constant chatter going on.  Then another station plays music simultaneously.

Multiple conversations, all mashing into the other and it can feel overwhelming, like there is no escape.

It can be difficult to make time for self-care and to find an escape from what you are doing, but just like you’d brush your teeth or wash your hands after using the toilet, you can include meditation as a non-negotiable for yourself. 

Strategies for incorporating meditation into your busy schedule include:

• Meditate in short bursts: short pockets of time, such as when you’re making your morning cuppa or just before bed
• Integrate meditation into daily activities: practice mindfulness when you’re doing a task that you do automatically every day, such as when brushing your teeth or walking the dog
• Regular time: Just like you make an appointment with the doctor, set a few minutes aside for yourself every day in your schedule.
• Reminders: set an alarm with a reminder if you’re forgetful.

As with anything, trying something that feels so entirely foreign to you can feel strange at first. Mindfulness looks different to us all.  It doesn’t have to be all about lighting an incense stick and sitting in silence, whilst your mind is screaming at you to stop dicking about because you’ve got stuff to do. 

It takes practice. Time. Patience. 

6 Easy Ways of Meditating For Busy People.

As mentioned, when you’re a busy person, meditation feels disconnected from your hectic life and swirling thoughts. But I promised you 6 easy ways of meditating for busy people and here they are:

1. Mindfully Eat a Doughnut

Or cake.. Or whatever takes your fancy.  It’s not WHAT you eat, but HOW you eat it. 

Pick a time and focus on the Experience: Sit down without distractions. Pay attention to each bite—flavours, textures, and temperatures. Notice new sensations with every mouthful.

Take your time and savour the moment.

2. Dance to your favourite song (or any song)

You don’t need to have moves to rival Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire, Channing Tatum or whomever the people are from that dance show that’s popular. Just put on your favourite tracks, turn up the volume and shake your ass.  Move your body freely—shake, wiggle, or mosh. Get your heart pumping. This is a good mindfulness exercise because your brain will be listening to the music and concentrating on moving your body.

3. Tense, Release, Relax

Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Tense and release different muscle groups from toes to head. Scrunch and release toes, calves, thighs, buttocks, core, hands, arms, shoulders, and face. Follow this with three deep inhales and exhales. Ideal for winding down before bed or anytime.

4. Listen to the Music

Mindful Music Listening: Choose any song and get comfortable. Close your eyes and listen attentively. Focus on lyrics, melody, and instruments. Bring your mind back to the song if it wanders. Once you are done, open your eyes, and give yourself a pat on the back. You’ve been still for a few minutes and just practised a great mindfulness and meditation technique.

5. The Mindful Cuppa

Enjoy Your Favorite Brew Mindfully: The trick to this one is to sit down without any distractions. No phone, TV or screens. With each mouthful (yes, I realise I just said ‘mouthful’), I want you to pay attention to the taste, temperature, smell, texture, and sound of each sip. Focus on the drink, noticing new sensations. Be kind to yourself if your mind wanders—bring your focus back to your cuppa.

6. Mindful Walk

Walking Meditation: Leave your phone behind or if you can’t do that, keep it on silent and leave it in your pocket until the end of the walk. Observe your surroundings—the colours, any wildlife, certain smells, and sounds. If you find your mind wandering and thinking about what you had for breakfast, what you need to cook for dinner or what you need to prep for work next week, bring your mind back to the present. There are no rights or wrongs. Appreciate the environment and live in the moment.

The above methods are alternative ways of meditating and embracing the practice through everyday activities. They are all merely an exercise in training your brain to live in the present and appreciate everything around you. 

Which is all meditating is. 

Other Ways to Meditate (besides sitting in silence and ‘clearing your mind’)

Meditation is not as complicated as we think it is. Sometimes we just need to find what works for us and then incorporate it into our daily lives.   When you include meditation and breathwork into your self-care routine, you can create a more balanced and calmer mind. Regular mindfulness and little moments of calm can significantly improve our mental and physical well-being. 

More Help

If you have read the above but are still none the wiser and need some extra support, I work with people to find mindfulness in ways that suit their needs.  Guided meditation, even just at the start until you get used to it, is useful when you are just starting out. 

If you want to know more, send me an email or send me a message on Facebook and let’s get you on the mindful road to a calmer life.