While I greatly value the benefits of meditation, I have to admit to still not making time for it every day. In fact, while I have phases of meditating daily, I also have phases when I don't manage it at all.
However, I am acutely aware of the benefits of mindfulness, being present and fully aware, every day, even if I am not meditating: the ability to ground myself in the here and now and to connect myself with the world around me, as well as being able to connect to my own inner reserves of strength, calm, focus and clarity. It's definitely making me enjoy life more.
So what helps me be more mindful even if I am not meditating daily? Practices such as the body scan, focusing on the breath, paying attention to the senses at any given moment, listening attentively, bringing attention to one thing and one thing and patiently bringing it back when it wavers (or micro-meditations as described in this HBR blog). All of these can be done anywhere, anytime. And the benefits are literally a change in the way your brain functions - better concentration and better judgement.
However, I am acutely aware of the benefits of mindfulness, being present and fully aware, every day, even if I am not meditating: the ability to ground myself in the here and now and to connect myself with the world around me, as well as being able to connect to my own inner reserves of strength, calm, focus and clarity. It's definitely making me enjoy life more.
So what helps me be more mindful even if I am not meditating daily? Practices such as the body scan, focusing on the breath, paying attention to the senses at any given moment, listening attentively, bringing attention to one thing and one thing and patiently bringing it back when it wavers (or micro-meditations as described in this HBR blog). All of these can be done anywhere, anytime. And the benefits are literally a change in the way your brain functions - better concentration and better judgement.