Ready For Mindfulness? 7 Simple Ways To Make Meditation Work Better

Before you sit down to start meditation or have a mindful moment, we recommend making your way through this checklist to ensure you can get the most out of your meditation. All of the things below are simple and quick steps – but they are really effective. 

7 simple ways to make meditation work better:

Here are the 7 things you should think about and do before starting your meditation practice to make it as effective as it can be.

 1. Do you have enough time to practice meditation right now?

Ask yourself: do you have 5-10 minutes to dedicate to a mindful meditation? It can be difficult to carve out the time to meditate when you’re a busy mama, but when you do sit down to meditate it makes all the difference to the effectiveness of your practice if you’ve set aside enough time.

We also recommend then leaving a couple of minutes on either side of your meditation to first get ready, and then to sit in the moment of calm and reflect afterward. 

 2. Are you in a quiet space that you associate with feelings of peace and relaxation?

If you’re struggling to use mindfulness effectively, keep this in mind: our external environment impacts how we’re feeling and how well we can focus.

Make sure your space for mindfulness promotes the activity. It doesn't need to be a completely silent, airy meditation room. It just needs to be somewhere that feels peaceful, comforting, and safe. This will make it easier for you to relax as you work on directing your attention to the present moment. 

3. Is the lighting right for meditation?

Another huge factor when it comes to your external environment? The lighting. Harsh, uncomforting lighting can really impact your state of peace, so does your room’s lighting feel soft and comforting? If it’s too bright try to dim or block the light before you start your meditation – or turn it off altogether! 

4. Are you at a comfortable temperature?

Just like your environment, you want your body to feel comfortable so you can focus in on your mind and meditation. You don’t want to be too hot or too cold, so take a minute to feel the temperature in your room and adjust accordingly. If you’re on a quiet street, open the window to let fresh air in, or put on a cozy jumper to feel warmer and more comforted.

5. Are you sitting comfortably? 

Have you found a sitting position that is comfortable enough for the next 10 minutes? The last thing you want is to be shifting around & losing concentration during your meditation. Take a minute before you get started to settle into your chair, get comfortable, and relax all of your muscles. 

6. Have you silenced your phone notifications? 

We hope this one is pretty obvious – but once you’ve picked your Baby2Body mediation, put your phone on “do not disturb” and block out notifications and interruptions from the outside world! Allow yourself the 10 minutes to only focus on you — everything else can wait.

7. Are you ready to be present and in the moment?

Finally, ask yourself — are you ready to be present in the moment? If you’ve gone through this list then your environment, body, and mind should be comfortable and ready to get started with your meditation practice. If something doesn’t feel quite right, adjust before you get going.

The next thing you have to do is practice. You just have to let yourself try, and the more you do it the more impactful it will become. You can start with 2-5 minutes a day, that's really all it takes to start feeling a difference. Not sure where to start when it comes to actually practice meditation and mindfulness? Give mindful breathing a go to get the hang of things, we've got some guided exercises for you right in the Baby2Body App Zen Den.

Enjoy your mindful moment & drop any questions in the comments!

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