Habits That Improve Your Focus - 4/5 Meditation
You don't realize the value of meditation until you do
Quick question - When was the last time you meditated? Or did anything close to meditation?
It is estimated that around 200-500M folks meditate globally. As big as that range appears, it is less than 10% of the total population.
Despite all its stated benefits, meditation seems like a difficult skill to master.
The ability to sit quietly (even for 10 mins) feels like a superpower in today’s day and age, and that’s a shame.
There is abundant research to show that meditation (even for a few mins a day) can improve our focus and concentration.
I have been meditating on and off (mostly on) for more than a year now and can vouch for its impact.
Meditation improves your self-awareness and gives you an additional second or so before you slide into a distraction rabbit hole. You almost feel like time slows down around you.
You may still end up doing the thing you were planning to do. However, meditation makes you mindful of those moments, and over a period of time, that acts like a nudge preventing you from getting into your distraction zones.
If you haven’t tried meditation, I strongly urge you to do so. Here are some simple steps to get there
a) Choose a time - Try to keep it fixed across days.
b) Start small - I started with 5 mins/day and gradually increased it to 15.
c) Start with guided meditation - Start with guided meditation so that it is not overwhelming to begin with.
d) Stay consistent and be patient - Easier said than done. Don’t expect overnight results. However, if done consistently, you can see gradual changes in your behavior (even outside of your focus time).
Podcast episode of the week
Insights for making better decisions - Gary Klein on Knowledge Project
We underestimate the impact of decision making in our lives. We make decisions, small and big, every day.
Our past decisions have brought us where we are and what we decide today will take us to our future.
For something as impactful as this, we might as well spend some time thinking about how we make decisions and how do we optimize that process.
This episode is a great place to begin. I loved the idea of decision journal and cognitive flexibility theory.
Have a focused week ahead. See you next Sunday!