A 90-Second Meditation Could Be All You Need To Improve Your Day

By now you likely know that you don't need a lot of time to meditate, nor do you need to be in a formal class setting — and you certainly don't need any special skills to meditate. However, if you have a very busy schedule, even the idea of one long meditation per week could make you feel overwhelmed. If you feel like you should do something regarding meditation but don't know where you'll find the time, look at short meditations such as those around 90 seconds first. These give you a simple path into the meditation world, and as you learn more, you can then start expanding the time you devote to the practice.

Keep Them Simple 

When you look for a 90-second meditation, make sure you choose one that is simple. 90 seconds does not leave you a lot of time to ask questions of yourself and go through a checklist of actions. You want something simple such as plain meditation, where you're just being present, or one where you're repeating a simple statement to yourself. You really don't want to spend 90 seconds remembering how to do the meditation in the first place. And, have simple goals. Aim to get your breathing under control if you've been breathing shallowly due to stress over the past few hours, for example.

Use These for Resets During Busy or Stressful Days

In fact, a great goal for these meditations is simply to reset yourself during busy or stressful times. Those 90 seconds give you a breather where you can escape the confusion of the day and take stock of how you're feeling. If you're getting caught up in work drama, 90 seconds could help you pull yourself out of the office-politics quagmire and get back to concentrating on your work. You may be able to think more neutrally about what's going on and devise a plan to get into a better work situation, for example. Your own results will vary, of course, but you should see and feel some sort of improvement if you keep meditating.

Do Find a Private Spot

Even though this is a short meditation, do try to find a place where others won't disturb you. If you work in a busy office or are at home with kids, you may need to retreat into the restroom/bathroom to find that space. Anyone who sees you with your eyes closed could think you were falling asleep and try to "wake you up." Or, they could realize you're meditating — and then deliberately try to interrupt. You'll need the 90 seconds plus some initial relaxation time to take a few deep breaths.

Short meditations aren't magic, and it can take a few weeks for you to see marked changes. But as you work your way to that point, you may feel a little more peaceful in the meantime and find that soothing yourself in difficult situations is much easier.