It was the end of 2019… I was already working from home for more than 12 months but still had difficulties concentrating on my work.

Too many distractions too close.

I redesigned my workspace and changed some habits. This helped, but I still was having issues.

I learned about meditation as a tool for staying focused and raising awareness. It initially looked like a waste of time, but I convinced myself to try it.

Ok, let’s do it… But hold on… What do I have to do?

How to meditate?

After researching for some hours (yes, I’m one of those who read the blender's instructions before the first milkshake), I collected some good information:

• I don’t need to go anywhere
• It’s free
• I don’t need to sit on the floor in a weird position

Instead, these are the things I need to do:

• Go to youtube and search for “guided meditation 5 minutes” (or 10, or 15)
• Sit straight on my chair
• Put on the earphones and follow the instructions.

Simple right? In fact, it is. But let me share my experience. I bet it’ll be useful to you.

Is just that?

Yes, it is… But to be honest, when I started, multiple questions appeared:

• Am I doing it right?
• How to be straight and relaxed at the same time?
• What does “Feel your knee” mean?
• This guy tells me to listen to the sounds, but he keeps speaking!!!

So let’s dig into some of these points

The right way to do it

We do it on our own, without any external feedback. We don’t know how well we do.

But actually… Who cares?

As far as we connect with ourselves and benefit from it, does it matter whether we follow the books?

Balance between relaxation and tension

This was the most challenging part for me at the beginning.

We need to find that balance. We should be relaxed enough to eliminate the worries but also be alert to our minds and feelings.

Most of the guided meditations I practiced invited us to intentionally relax the different parts of our body.

There is another practice, that is relaxation itself. It consists of carrying this intentional relaxation one step further. I find it particularly useful for sleeping (in my bed or, even better, during a flight).

Feeling your body and breath

This is weird. But let me tell you, once you start feeling different parts of your body, you gain a superpower.

Some points to focus your attention on:

• Anything you are touching (chair, floor, clothes, any other body part)
• Sensations (stiffness, pain, soreness, muscle contraction)
• Fresh air touching your skin

Focusing on the breath, it’s easier:

• The temperature of the air flowing in and out your nostrils
• Movement of your stomach
• Any other movement you notice

It may take some practice to be aware of these things, but you feel fantastic every time you get something new.

Distractions and mind-wandering

We get it wrong when we hear “Meditation.”

We think that we should be able to stay for hours focused on nothing.

It’s not like that. Instead, the exercise consists of noticing, understanding, and gently controlling our minds when they start wandering.

Each time we bring our minds back is like a rep at the gym. The same principle for training our biceps applies to our minds.

So we get practice and can do the same in different situations, like working, having conversations, or other activities.

Conclusion

As for most things, the best way to start is by doing it. So try it for a few weeks and connect with yourself.

You will gain experience, practice, and a better understanding of what you are getting from it and how to use it.

These were some of the difficulties I experienced. Let me know how it was for you.