Stress has become such a commonplace factor of all of our lives. This means that learning to live with, and manage it, should be a priority for all. With deadlines to finish, deals to close, bills to pay and mouths to feed, it’s any wonder that can find the time to enjoy a little relaxation to realign themselves in this fast-paced world that we live in.
Stress management can help you lead a more productive, healthy and happy life. But fortunately, you don’t need to isolate yourself from all of the worries of society to achieve it. To help you gain better control of your stress levels, here are some meditation tricks that you can start using today brought to you by yoga teacher training courses in South Africa. These will help you bust stress. Just ask Dr Alice Boyes:
“In my therapy practice, the clients who’ve found meditation the most helpful have generally been people who are prone to rumination (unwanted overthinking). This makes sense given that meditation is about focusing your attention on something “experiential” (e.g., sensations of breathing) and bringing your attention back to this focus when you notice it has drifted to “evaluation” (e.g., “Am I breathing too fast?”) or to another topic (e.g., “I’ve got so much to do tomorrow.”)
“Meditation can help with irritability partly because it helps you learn how to recognize you’re having irritable thoughts before you’ve blurted them out in ways that end up generating stress for you (e.g.. nitpicking your partner in a way that causes a fight).”
A simple daily meditation technique
The idea behind meditation is to relax both your body and mind by drawing your attention away from your thoughts and placing them in the moment. Start by getting comfortable. Sitting will stop you from drifting off, making it easier to hold your concentration.
Close your eyes and breathe naturally and slowly. Mindfully and systematically relaxing each muscle in your body as you do so. Let any thoughts that pop into your head gently drift away as though on a cloud. All the while concentrate on your breathing. It helps if you count your breaths.
Do this for as long as you can without breaking concentration.
Where should you meditate?
There is no ideal space for meditation. However the area that you choose should be quiet and free from distractions. Sometimes it helps to dedicate a specific space in your home or office to meditation since sanctifying it will help you stick to a rigid schedule.
When should you meditate?
For the best effect, try to meditate at least once daily either in the morning or just before going to bed. But really any time will do. As long as you make a point to set aside time each day to do it. You will generally only need between 5 and 10 minutes depending on how long you can hold your concentration for. So there is no excuse for skipping sessions.
How long should you meditate for?
The time it takes to meditate will vary from person to person. This is usually as a result of their experience and concentration span when meditating. The truth is that any small amount of meditation, when conducted with undivided attention, is better than nothing.
So, opt rather for short, concentrated sessions as opposed to long and distracted ones. When it comes to daily meditation, go for quality over length.
Call Trifocus Fitness Academy for more information on Mediation and Yoga training
If you would like to learn more about meditation, exercise and dietary techniques that can enrich your life while eliminating stress, contact Trifocus Fitness Academy today to find out more about our various yoga teacher training courses in South Africa.