Jun 28, 20223 min read

Everyone loves a quickie! 5 Ways to Meditate ANYWHERE without sacrificing your time.

When attempting to do any of these quickie meditations, the #1 rule is mindfulness. You don’t have to close your eyes; a soft gaze will do. Focus on your breath, notice the sensations your breath causes in your body, observe what is around you, and appreciate yourself for taking the time to do something for YOU.

On a recent work trip, a 2-hour delay on the tarmac turned into a 15-hour day from take-off to landing. The lyrics from the Gilligan’s Island theme song, “a 3-hour tour,” couldn’t have been more apropos. While I had no idea when and if I would ever reach my destination, I was calm and relaxed, albeit very hungry. I had a book, a bottle of water, and a just-in-case nutrition bar. I had to make the best of a bad situation and the 1 thing that kept me in check was meditation. Yes – alongside the irate passengers, the crew that frantically had no idea what was going on, and crying babies, I was able to take small moments to meditate, find some peace, and somehow appreciation, for the day.

If this had happened years ago, this kind of drama and trauma would have left me infuriated and vengeful. I would have been seething and snapping at every flight attendant. I would have called the airline over and over, demanding to speak with “the Manager of the Manager of the Manager” until I received frequent flier miles, a refund, and rights to name their next born child.

But just like Gilligan, the Skipper, and Mary Ann, I had to make the best of things without a single luxury, and it was actually pretty great. I had almost an entire day, device-free, to relax and just be with myself.

This was just a long-winded way of telling you that you can meditate literally ANYWHERE.

Here are a few of my favorite types of meditations:

Walking Meditation

Just get OUTSIDE. Go for an easy walk and leave that phone at home. Soak up all the nature and fresh air that you can. Observe what’s around you with all 5 senses. There’s enough to go around!This kind of meditation, a mental rest if you will, improves memory and concentration.

Shower Meditation

The yummiest of the meditations. You’re going to take a shower, so why not just make it a little longer. Spend some extra time under the warm water feeling how silky that conditioner feels on your hair. Rinse and repeat. Appreciation for the luxury of a warm shower will help provide a deep sense of gratitude.

Coffee Meditation

Don’t inhale your caffeine…ritualize it! Turn the morning news off, hold that warm mug in your hands, smell the nuttiness and sweetness of the aroma, and think of a happy memory.Smile as you slowly inhale, take a sip, and do it again some more. This small shift in your morning ritual will give you more space to start your day on positive footing, being grounded in the small things that bring effortless delight.

Swimming Meditation

Try to do some laps in a pool! Observe the weightless state of your body, the calming of the sympathetic nervous system, the absence of noise underwater, and the way your breath moves with your body like a metronome keeping time. This kind of sensory meditation helps to reduce overwhelm from the constant barrage of input/data/news/entertainment (find the right word here) coming at us all day every day.

Meditation for Sleep

Turn out the lights, get into your favorite sleeping position, pull the covers up over your shoulders, and take 3 long, deep, intentional breaths. Release the day, remind yourself that you’ve done enough, and now your only focus is to rest. Notice any other thoughts that come into your mind and let them pass through. Continue to breathe normally until you’re no longer awake. Physical rest restores and repairs your body, so make the most of it.