You do not need an hour of silence or a perfect meditation room to start a mindfulness practice. Sometimes, 10 to 15 minutes can be enough to make meditation feel more manageable.
A Harvard Health article looking at mindfulness and meditation suggests that consistency matters more than spending long periods in practice. The advice may appeal to you if a busy schedule has made meditation feel like another task you cannot fit into your day.
The approach is simple. Pick a short practice, make it part of your routine and give yourself time to get used to it.
If you have avoided meditation because you think you need to sit for 30 minutes or more, Harvard's approach offers a simpler starting point.
The article cites Dr James E. Stahl, who encourages people to practise regularly without enrolling in a formal programme. His advice is direct: “10 to 15 minutes a day will do.” The bigger point is consistency. You do not have to create a complicated routine. You can begin with a short session and slowly make it part of your day.
You can use those 15 minutes at the end of your day for a guided meditation. Harvard suggests keeping a meditation recording or podcast on your phone or tablet so you can easily access it.
This can help if you find it difficult to meditate on your own. Instead of wondering what to do next, you can follow someone's voice and stay with the practice.
You can also choose the time that works best for you. Morning, afternoon or evening can all work if you can practise regularly.
You do not always need a separate meditation session.
Harvard suggests taking 10 to 15 minutes for a midday breathing practice. Sit comfortably, close your eyes and notice where you feel tension in your body. Then pay attention to your breathing. The practice does not ask you to force your thoughts away. Instead, you keep returning your attention to your breath and the sensations in your body.
That can make a short break feel more intentional, especially when your day feels rushed.
A body scan offers another way to spend 10 to 15 minutes.
You can sit or lie down comfortably and slowly move your attention through your body. Start with your feet and gradually notice your legs, hips, abdomen, chest, shoulders, neck and head.
You are not trying to judge what you feel. You simply notice areas of tension or discomfort as you move your attention from one part of the body to another. Harvard recommends trying different approaches rather than forcing yourself to follow one method.
The most useful part of this approach may be its simplicity. You do not need to wait for a completely free day before you begin.
You can start with 10 minutes, try a guided meditation, focus on your breathing during a midday break or finish the day with a body scan. The Harvard article also stresses that if you have a busy schedule, practising three or four times a week can be a realistic starting point.
Meditation does not have to become another item on your list of things to achieve. Start small, choose a practice you can actually maintain and give yourself time to build the habit.
Soumi Pyne is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with four years of work experience. She started her career as a digital journalist with HT after completing her master's in media and communication from NSHM Kolkata. She covers topics in astrology, manifesting, and tarot readings, and also interviews astrologers to share their stories. In 2022, she interviewed the young indigo pilot who had saved Indian students from Ukraine. She has also covered stories about the Dhoomimal Art Gallery and a few lifestyle stories. She is now a fervent reader of astrology, but before working full-time on the Astrology beat, she coordinated and published think tank stories in the HT insight section. Additionally, produced Live Mint and HT newsletters, during which she had the scope to publish news articles by HT's editor-in-chief, Sukumar Ranganathan. She puts in her best effort to make her readers justify the statement "Astrology is a pseudoscience". While she believes that Astrology is not intertwined with Science, she aims to help her readers understand that the human body can be influenced by planetary alignments, drawing on insights from Indian and USA astrologers. Outside her professional sphere, she enjoys a healthy lifestyle through yoga, journaling, meditation, running, and cooking gluten-free meals. She is an avid documentary enthusiast who loves watching BBC, Discovery, and other channels, with a focus on ancient history, space, art, and culture. Also, you'll often find her taking her pooch to new cafes and often taking short trips with her girls or her family to offbeat places.Read More
