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Need a mental holiday during the day but can't leave the office?
Transcendental meditation could help fast-track you to a brain break. Studies show it can help to reduce stress and, as TM teacher Michael Pierce points out, it's particularly suitable for the workplace because, unlike some meditation systems, it doesn't involve coloured robes or hours of chanting...
Stick it to the mantra
Transcendental meditation centres around a mantra -- a word or just a sound -- that you repeat, out loud or mentally. You can choose your own mantra, but it's best to get yours from a teacher (find one at t-m.org.uk).
Free your mind...
"Repeating the mantra has a soothing vibrational effect that allows the mind to settle down," says Pierce. "There's no need to
'quieten your mind' -- it just happens." This helps you conserve energy for later.
Find a space
Armed with your mantra, find a place in the office where you can sit quietly for ten minutes. "You can do it in a comfortable chair," says Pierce. "Anywhere you can sit with your eyes closed for a few minutes."
... and your body will follow
"Don't think, 'I must slow down and deepen my breathing,' as this happens anyway," he says. "Once the mind becomes calm, the body follows." Studies have shown that blood pressure can go down during meditation.
Eyes wide shut
Closing your eyes helps to shut out the working environment, and once you start your mantra, you relax. "It's like turning the volume down on a radio: the radio is still on but it's making no sound," Pierce explains.
Get back to work
You're now fully relaxed and ready to face your inbox -- but be careful not to rush. "Take a minute with your eyes shut at the end of meditating," he says. "It's a bit like putting a car into neutral before changing direction."
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
