How to start meditating

Why it usually falls apart

Beginners sit for twenty minutes, spend it thinking about lunch, decide they are bad at meditating and quit. Mind-wandering is normal. It happens to everyone, including people who have practised for years. The skill is noticing and coming back. Starting tiny, at the same time each day, makes it a habit before it becomes a chore.

How to start meditating

1. Start with two minutes

   Set a timer for two minutes. That is enough to start. Add a minute a week once it is daily.

2. Focus on the breath

   Sit comfortably, close your eyes and notice the breath going in and out. When your mind wanders, which it will, notice and gently bring it back.

3. Same time every day

   Attach it to an existing habit: after brushing your teeth, before coffee, when you sit at your desk. The cue does the remembering.

4. Use a guided app or recording

   Guided meditations tell you what to do, which helps when you are starting. Many apps have free beginner courses.

5. Do not judge the session

   There is no good or bad meditation. A session full of wandering where you kept coming back is a good session.

6. Track the days

   Tick each day you sit, even for two minutes. The streak is what turns it into a habit.

What to track

Track the smallest version you would still count on your worst day. A row you can clear when tired is a row you keep:

• Two minutes of meditation
• Same time every day
• Guided session

Print a tracker with these 3 habits or open them in a spreadsheet.

Your first week

1. Day 1. Choose the time and the habit it will follow.
2. Day 2. Sit for two minutes and focus on your breath.
3. Day 3. Try a guided two-minute meditation.
4. Day 4. Sit for two minutes. Count how many times you came back.
5. Day 5. Sit for three minutes.
6. Day 6. Try a short body scan.
7. Day 7. Count the days you sat this week.