6 Tips for Meditation: How to Improve Focus and Relaxation

Meditation is a powerful tool that can help you relax, reduce stress, and improve your overall well-being.

That said, a lot of people find meditation challenging because they struggle to focus. Maybe you think if your mind wanders or if you have any thoughts at all, you’re doing it wrong. Maybe you feel weird having an empty mind. Maybe you have a hard time sitting still, or any other number of reasons you may deter from meditation.

If you're one of those people, never fear, you are far from alone. If you’d like to get into meditation and just aren’t quite sure how, here are some tips to help you get the most out of your practice.

1. Start Small

One of the most common reasons people struggle to focus during meditation is because they try to do too much too soon.

If you're new to meditation or have a hard time focusing, start with just a few minutes each day. Be kind to yourself during this time and just allow yourself to explore.

Remember, the goal isn’t as much to have no thoughts at all as much as it is to have a thought, recognize it for arriving, thank it for coming, and let it go to work toward more inner stillness.

2. Find a Comfortable Position

Another issue you may face is your ability — or lack thereof — to focus during your meditation because of your posture.

The most common position is a comfortable and easy seated position, usually with your legs crossed, palms either facing up or down and a nice, long spine. You’re welcome to prop yourself up on any cushions or pillows, give yourself some back support, or even lie down (just try not to fall asleep!)

3. Focus on Your Breath

Just like in yoga, one of your main areas of focus should be on your breath. When your exhales are longer than your inhales, you activate the parasympathetic nerve within your nervous system that signals you are safe.

As you deepen your breath, enjoy the sensation as it travels through your body. If you have an active mind, give it something to focus on by assigning your breath a color and mentally “see” it travel through all of the areas you feel it coursing through.

4. Use Guided Meditations

Guided meditations are a great option or alternative, especially for those who struggle to focus during meditation. If you find a voice you like, these can be especially soothing and give you something extra to focus on. The guide typically leads you through the practice to help you feel more relaxed and centered.

If you’re unable to find anybody in person that you like, YouTube has a plethora of options, both with just meditative binaural beats and guided meditations on various topics like manifesting wealth, cultivating self-love, and aligning your chakras.

5. Try Different Techniques

Many people think you have to be alone in a dark room or alone with a guide, but that isn’t true in the slightest. Meditation can happen anytime, anywhere, and affect you in various ways. Practitioners of yoga even strive to treat every pose like a moving meditation, and there’s no reason you shouldn’t carry that same mindset anywhere you go.

If you're struggling to focus during your current practice, some popular techniques include mantra meditation, body scan meditation, and visualization meditation. Sometimes even a simple change in location or connection with nature helps you focus more deeply. Experiment with different techniques until you find one that resonates with you.

6. Be Patient

Remember, meditation is a practice, and it takes time to develop. Don't get discouraged if you're struggling to focus at first. In the same vein, don’t get mad at yourself if you feel like you’re “taking too long” to “get it right.” Let that go — doing so is part of the practice.

Meditation can be a powerful tool for improving your overall well-being, but it can be challenging. By starting small, finding a comfortable position, focusing on your breath, using guided meditations, trying different techniques, and being patient, you can overcome your initial obstacle and get the most out of your practice.

Do you practice meditation? Do you find it easy or more difficult to focus? Let me know your thoughts down in the comments! Be sure to check out other Meditation-related posts!