7 Meditation Hacks to Relax Your Mind Immediately
Meditation has been growing in popularity in entrepreneur circles for years. Some people believe in it, and some plainly think it’s balarkey. If you’re reading this article, I’m going to be you’re on the meditation side of the equation—or at least you’re thinking about it!
From my experience, I have found meditation to be helpful in removing anxiety and stress, while increasing focus, and giving insight on your emotions. I find this more than helpful and thus engage usually in some sort of meditation daily.
Most people think of meditation as one of the yogic positions with legs crossed and the back of the hands resting on the knees. This works for some, but isn’t all forms of meditation.
What is meditation?
Meditation is the act of contemplating, thinking, reflecting, musing or concentrating.
It’s pretty open ended, and there’s no set format. You could meditate while you’re gardening, sitting at the park, in yoga class, or fly fishing perhaps.
It all comes down to contemplation. Some meditations are geared more towards relaxing, some can be allowing thoughts to come up and pass (that you’ve had in your head all day), while some are visualizing a better future.
Whatever your method, I find it helpful as an entrepreneur to decompress from the stress, pressure and thoughts and demands of the day. You can receive the benefits of meditation even with just 5-10 minutes a day.
For a variety of instrumental meditations and spoken meditations, visit this Youtube meditation playlist.
#1 Listen to Binaural Beats Meditations
Binaural beats are sounds and music that match certain sound-waves in your brain. When you listen to them, they magically start to bring your mind into a more meditative state because they sync with your brain waves. They’re scientifically proven, and pretty cool if I do say so!
My favorite binaural tracks are the two sets from MindValley called Om Harmonics.
I was a little skeptical before I bought the $150 set, but I’ve used the tracks for years and never grow tired of them. I take it as a great investment. You can find a variety of other inexpensive tracks, and beats on Youtube also.
#2 Go into Nature, or Look at a Green Nature Photo
It’s been proven that our minds actually start the process of relaxation when we’re seeing something green (specifically nature scenes). The color green psychologically triggers a sense of safety, nature and relaxation. Stressed out and need a break? Take a walk in the park, or keep a photo of trees near your desk.
#3 Visualize What You Desire Your Future to Look Like
Sit in a quiet space for a few minutes (with or without calming music). Close your eyes and begin to visualize and create your dream life. This can be what you want your day to look like, your week, or a vision for a year from now, or ten.
The more detail you include, the better. What does your vision look like? Focus on all the aspects and elements. See what you’re wearing in the vision, associate a smell, and create details.
For example, if you’re at the beach, see the sand blowing on your toes, hear the ocean and the water as soft waves crash and smell the salt in the air. Feel the level of happiness and bliss you are seeking with every fiber of your being.
Hang on to the feeling of attaining your desires and having this amazing life for at least 17 seconds. There are proven studies behind this somewhere on the Internet. 17 seconds in enough time for your brain to start creating this vision as a reality in your mind. Our minds can’t tell the difference between “real-world” and “real-life” versus our imagined life. The more you imagine and visualize a life you desire, the more real it becomes for you.
#4 Focus on Your Breathing—Equal Breaths (a Hack!)
Tony Robbins says that they easiest way to change your mental thought patterns and chatter is to change your physiology. Do you know that changing your physiology can be as simple as breathing? Not just can be—it’s extraordinarily effective for bring your awareness into your body and to re-align your brain with what matters.
Rhythm and consistency are what matter most with your breathing. When you’re relaxed, calm and happy, your breathing patterns are consistent and rhythmic. When you’re excited or focused breathing becomes faster, but also rhythmic. When you’re tense… breathing becomes erratic—fast and unpredictable.
If you want to calm your mind—calm your breath. It’s an easy hack to relax your mind and body altogether.
The trick here is to breathe in and out with the same breath-count. For example, count to 4 when you breathe in and count to 4 when you breathe out. Do this for 2-5 minutes and you’ll feel your entire body relax.
#5 Think of a Situation that Always Relaxes You — Know Your Zen
Everyone has some place they can go to relax and “find their zen.” This is different for everyone. It could be breathing in mountain air, going to the beach, sitting in your favorite chair at home and relaxing, hanging out with your dog, going to the gym, and more.
We all have anchors for places that help (or hinder) our emotional states. Take a moment to think of where you’re usually relaxed and calm (when you are!). This is probably you’re zen place. For me it’s being in nature (anywhere). I chill at the beach, in the forest, or on a mountain, but it has to be outside.
Contemplate yours. This is an easy hack to become relaxed. Once you know where your zen-spot is, go there when you want to chill. This can equally be a “place” or situation in your mind. Maybe thinking of tropical scenes makes you zen, or going snowboarding. Only you will know.
#6 Go to a Meditation or Yoga Class
If you don’t want to harness what’s going on in your mind, and you want to be in a communal supportive situation to get the same effects, head to a yoga class. With all that stretching and breathing, I can almost guarantee that you’ll relax and retreat into some form of meditation in Savasana.
#7 Listen to a Guided Meditation
If meditating is hard for you, but you want the effects listen to a guided meditation. There are loads of these on Youtube, and all around the Internet. Gabby Bernstein has a few guided meditations too. This is just where someone talks in a calm voice over the calm music walking you through a visualization or circumstance to calm your body and mind.
Have more meditation hacks to relax your mind?
Let us know in the comments!
