Hey friends,

I've been (trying to) meditate every morning for a while now and it has helped me a lot, in terms of my focus. There's a lot of information out there about meditation, but here's the basics and how I do it.

Why?

Meditation rests your brain and clears your mind, allowing for greater focus and increased general performance. Meditation has been game changing for me, in terms of my own personal productivity.
It gives my busy brain a rest when it needs it 😉.

How?

Sitting is the optimal position for meditation. Preferably with your legs one on top of the other but, if you can't do that, just sit cross-legged. Your hands form a cup shape, with your arms resting on your thighs. Keep your arms relaxed. Back Straight. Head facing forward. Eyes Closed.

Breathe through your nose. Observe how the air feels as it's moving through your nose, observe the transition between inhale and exhale. Observe every aspect of your breath. Do not criticize how you're breathing. Don't move when you feel the need to fidget.

Once my breathing is settled, I picture a circle going around and around as I breathe, half circle on the inhale, half circle on the exhale. When thoughts start coming through my head, I just shift my focus back to the circle. This is training the mindfulness muscle, which is what helps you focus.

Aim for 5 minutes of meditation at first but, as you get more experienced, you might aim for 10 or even 20 minutes. I just meditate until I feel my brain has calmed down, as I find that works better for me. Give it a go, it's a new year after all 🎉!

Thanks for reading!

Some of my favourite things

Music

Great for intense focus. Found this in one of my old playlists.

Quote of the week

"In the early and middle stages of any quest, there is often a valley of disappointment. You expect to make progress in a linear fashion, and it's frustrating how ineffective changes can seem during the first days, weeks, and even months. It doesn't feel like you're going anywhere. It's a hallmark of any compounding process. The most powerful outcomes are delayed." - James Clear, Atomic Habits

Happy new Year!
Cheers, Toby