Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Meditation For Busy Mums

Vidhya Shailesh
SoulCentre Certified Meditation Teacher
9th August 2017

Juggling between work and home, coordinating the children’s schedules, driving them to and from their classes, seamlessly attempting to run your home and keeping abreast and on top of everything – such is an average day in the life of a busy mum. The never ending demands of the family and the to-do lists that never seem to get done can often make you feel like you are just running from pillar to post day in and day out. Life often gets into such a crazy routine cycle that one day rolls on to another and on to another and months sometimes years pass by too quickly.

 
If you are such a busy mum who often finds yourself with more than you can handle, then meditation is the solution for you. As a mother of two, I often find myself in similar situations and even in times when it appears I have no time, I often turn towards meditation to center myself and find my balance. I am often asked, “When do you get the time to meditate?” I believe, if you try and find time, you always can. Meditation is a way of life. The wisdom and practices of meditation help us train our minds and take control of our emotions. Meditation teaches us to live joyfully. So here’s a few tips from meditation that busy mums can benefit from.
 
1)  Start your day on a positive note.
As soon as you wake up, even before your mind starts thinking about the many things you need to get done, spend a few minutes setting the intention for the day. Offer gratitude for the many blessings life has gifted you and see the day as an opportunity to contribute. When you start the day on a positive note, it lays down the foundation for the rest of the day. Many times through the day, whenever you feel you are getting overwhelmed, stop and reconnect to the many blessings in your life. Gratitude has the power to change you from the inside. It creates a feeling of happiness and peace on the inside and this reflects in your actions through the day. As you end the day, reflect on the day gone by and offer gratitude for it once again.
 
2)  Meditate by focusing on your breath.
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t necessarily need an hour to sit and meditate always. Depending on the situation, sometimes even a 3-minute practice can help you feel better. Make it a habit to focus on your breath for a few minutes every now and then. You might be waiting at the parking lot of the school to pick your child up, or riding a taxi to your next appointment. Use the time to just close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. With each breath, focus on the inhalation and exhalation. Repeat this for a few minutes till you feel relaxed.
 
3)  Be in the moment.
Meditation teaches you to bring your attention to the moment. While we may all have long list of things to do, we have to understand that at any given moment, you can only handle the task on hand. Prioritize your list and focus on what needs to get done at this moment. You might be approaching a project deadline and planning your child’s birthday party within the same week. Learn to compartmentalize your mind. Meditation teaches you to focus on one thing. When you are at a particular task, the training helps you avoid thinking about all the other things you need to get done. With greater focus, comes better efficiency. Move through your list this way one thing at a time. For example, when you are working on your project, give it your full attention. Once that is done, you can focus on planning the birthday party. Trying to do both at the same time, only leads to stress and neither gets done properly.
 
4)  Choose what you fill your day with.
We all have the same twenty-four hours in a day. Therefore, choose the things you would like to fill your day with and let go of things that just take up too much of your time. Delegate where possible and give small responsibilities to the children as well. This will not only clear up your time, it will also make them accountable.
 
5)  Find joy in all that you do.
Meditation teaches you to live joyfully. When you are simply moving from one thing to the next on your to-do list, it is often easy to become disconnected and mechanical. Remember to stop and connect with life every now and then. Find joy in everything that you do. Even the seemingly mundane things you do can become joyful if you just change your perspective.
 
Meditation helps us become aware of our thoughts. Everything in our life starts at the level of our thoughts. Take charge of your thoughts to take charge of your life. Do not allow the routine and rigors of an ever demanding life consume you. Learn meditation at SoulCentre® and benefit from the wisdom and techniques on a daily basis. Live your life joyfully and get more out of your life.
 
To learn more, get in touch with us at info@soulcentre.org or visit www.soulcentre.org.