Three Ways That 10 Minutes Of Daily Meditation Can Make You Creative
Are you one of those who hit the road running when you wake up? If you are, hold your horses.
I know many people through my work who get going from morning until evening without much downtime. What do you think is going to happen to these people? They’re always chasing time; if you ask them how they are, you’ll hear them say, ‘I’m busy’.
Being too connected online, especially on social media, isn’t helping either. I don’t know about you, but it’s so easy to end up in a rabbit hole if you’ve been scrolling from one video to the next on TiKTok.
Thankfully, I’ve learned not to go rabbit holes, but it does require discipline. Before I tell you about the three ways, let me first tell you about the TikTok Brain and the Monk Mode
The TikTok Brain
Do you find yourself distracted often, especially if you’re on TikTok or other social media platforms and your brain experiences an explosion of information, sights, and sounds? You’re not alone.
It is easy to end up down a social media Rabbit hole before you know it and wonder where the time went. TikTok is one of the most distracting social media platforms.
Monk Mode
I’ve been seeing #monkmode doing the rounds on social media, which got me thinking.
I’m not advocating that we all meditate on a mountaintop. That’s impractical. I’m sure Monks do much more than sit in seclusion for hours, meditating or sitting still.
However, we can learn valuable tips to help us deal with our busy, 24/7, connected and hyperactive world.
What Is A Monk Brain?
It’s a mindset or mental state of inner calm, tranquillity and harmony. You can’t flick on a switch and turn on the ‘Monk Brain’ whenever you feel like it, but the good news is that it can be developed with some effort and practice.
Monks spend significant time in meditation, honing their ability to keep their minds steady and centred. This skill applies to their meditation practice and permeates all aspects of their lives, allowing them to approach tasks with single-minded attention and dedication.
Through consistent meditation, monks aim to calm the mind, develop concentration, and gain insight into the nature of reality. This mental discipline allows them to transcend everyday worries and concerns, leading to profound inner peace and understanding.
Monks also engage in deep self-awareness and aim to gain deep insight into themselves and the nature of reality.
Imagine The Following
Flo doesn’t hit the snooze button anymore because she can’t afford to. She’s up and out within 45 minutes of waking up around 7 am. She prepares her kids’ lunches the night before and leaves as they start going to school.
Flo works for a startup in Old Street and lives in Highbury. She’s the Head of Client Services. If the tubes are working, then the journey is smooth. If not, it’s a tricky journey getting in.
She enjoys going into the office as much as she enjoys #wfh. Plus, working from home meant she was seen as available for the family as they staggered back home from school.
Flo usually takes lunch at her desk because there is so much to do. Her schedule during the working week is generally hectic. Stress goes with the territory in Flo’s world.
Lately, Flo’s been feeling overwhelmed. It’s never been a big issue because she’s always been on top of her game. Before working for the startup, she worked in a large corporation in Paddington.
However, a recent personal event has occupied her mind, impacting her at work, too.
Flo has arranged to speak to the workplace People Officer in the afternoon. She’s not sure how helpful the conversation will be, but she might as well make the most of the opportunity.
Tony is the People Officer at Flo’s company. He initially had a high-flying career but burned out after ten years. He retrained and now spends time looking at People issues at the company.
Tony finished writing his weekly blog post on Mediation as Flo entered his office. Flo told Tony about the way she was feeling whilst Tony listened attentively.
Tony could empathise with Flo because he once sat in the same seat elsewhere.
‘Thank you for sharing, Flo, and as you know, we have many services which could help you in the long run, but to help you right now, I’d suggest you take 10 minutes after this meeting and find a quiet place to meditate. He told her to leave her mobile phone behind or put it on silent.
If you could do this every day this week, come back again next week, and we will talk further’.
What Happened To Flo?
Flo tried what Tony suggested. She couldn’t sit still in the beginning. Her mind was racing, her thoughts were jumbled up, and she felt tearful. Tony did tell her she might feel emotional, but that’s part of the process.
Flo tried the mediation exercise every day for the rest of the week. She noticed a difference in the way she was feeling. Her issue hadn’t disappeared, but she approached her day differently.
Flo no longer hit the road running as the alarm went. Instead, she set it for 6.45 for the first couple of weeks and then 6.30 am.
She found it greatly impacted how she controlled her morning routine. She started with gratitude and 10 minutes of meditation before she had breakfast. She also entertained new ideas and opportunities and was willing to try new approaches.
Three Ways 10 Minutes Can Help You Be More Creative
- Tune out To Tune In
The more awareness you have around this, the better because you’ll be able to see the impact external noise has on you. It could be in several ways, from procrastination, impacting your moods, influencing your thinking and shaping your behaviour, to name a few.
As a result, it can be challenging to focus and concentrate. When you limit what you expose yourself to daily, especially the news, radio, social media and mobile phone calls, you’ll give your powerhouse much-needed space to connect different ideas in your brain.
Additionally, you’ll be able to focus more on your goals, get more done, and feel better. You’ll also develop better ideas and execute bigger and better plans.
2. New Opportunities
Take a moment to look around you. What do you see? Perhaps a familiar setting with its daily routines, but with occasional new faces and challenges thrown in the mix? Remember, nothing remains the same, and that includes you. Life constantly evolves, and if you drift from one day to the next, it all becomes a blur on the weekends. So, ask yourself this: How much are you actively choosing to change every single day?
Consider the projects you’re working on or the fresh ideas you generate. Maybe you find yourself collaborating across departments or engaging with different stakeholders. Each presents an excellent opportunity to tap into and showcase your strengths in every interaction.
3. Embrace Change
The only certainty is uncertainty in today’s world. You’re adapting to the changing world around you because, you know, change is constant in most industries, and those who can pivot and embrace new approaches or technologies are more likely to thrive.
When you embrace these moments of setback as opportunities for growth, you become more adept at handling significant setbacks and adversities with grace and resilience.
Benefits of 10 Minutes of Meditation
The list goes on, but here are a few benefits of meditating for 10 minutes.
- Focus on your breathing
- Pay attention to your self-talk
- Analyse the situation
- Look at your narrative
- Plan your next step
- Set personal/ professional goals
- Do something different
- Be kind to yourself
- Eat and drink at the appropriate time
- Learn to let go of the excess mental baggage
- Avoid going into a mental jail
- Learn not to emotionalise everything
- Learn to tune out so you can tune in to yourself
Parting Comments
You’ll vibe at a higher level when you feel inner peace and have the brain space to think instead of always flitting from one thing to another.
However, it’s worth remembering that developing a ten-minute routine requires patience and consistency. Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day here or there and don’t perfect the steps either. Instead, take each day as it comes and see where the steps take you.
Thank you for your attention.
Follow me for more valuable tips.
Pervin
linktr.ee/AimHighLtd
