How To Make Meditation a Daily Habit
We all know that the benefits of making meditation a daily practice is exponentially better than doing it once in a while, but the question is, how do we stick to it?
Here are some tried and tested ways to make meditation a daily habit drawn from advice from top meditation teachers, which have been tried, tested and deemed effective by thousands of people all over the world:
- Gamify it.
Set yourself a daily meditation challenge, stick to it, tick off each day, and reward yourself with a prize at the end.
Science tells us that it can take between 21-66 days to form a habit, so we suggest setting a goal for a minimum of 3 weeks. To make it even more fun, you can set a manifestation goal and stick to meditating every day until that occurs, e.g. when you receive a promotion, when you get married.
And when you make it, really reward yourself and celebrate!
2. Get an accountability partner.
Whether it’s a family member, co–worker, friend, romantic partner, or even a whole community - having other people committing to a daily meditation habit alongside you makes it THAT much easier.
This is because we are naturally social beings, and are more likely to thrive with social support. This strategy aids us by recruiting others to hold us accountable, and we can share it as a fun activity or bonding experience which is fantastic for our overall wellbeing.
As an added bonus, in joining a meditation community who meets in person for group meditations, you may see your social circle expand to include more people who are values-aligned and who you can engage in life-affirming activities with.
3. Keep a journal of the changes.
Make a quick note each day of how you feel on days you meditate. This could be something to do with your energy levels, sleep or physical body, or it could be how you were able to react differently in a situation that would normally trigger you. Whatever it is, giving our conscious minds this data is a powerful way to remember all the good reasons to meditate so that we are more likely to stick to it before it becomes established as an automatic, unconscious daily habit.
4. Make it into a ritual
Meditation shouldn’t feel like a burden, it should be something you enjoy and that you look forward to each day, or at the very least don’t want to avoid.
Simple things like setting up a dedicated space, having a comfortable pillow or chair, getting some nice incense or a candle, or sipping on an Ayurvedic herbal blend like our ‘Bliss’ range specifically designed for bliss chemistry in meditation can make the experience into an enjoyable ritual you value and make time for each day
5. Practice the right technique for you
If you struggle with meditation in general (you’re frustrated by how much you’re thinking, you can’t seem to get into it), or have attempted to self-teach without the proper instruction of a teacher, perhaps it’s a matter of a) it’s time to invest in learning properly with a teacher or b) you simply may be practicing a technique which was designed for more monastic traditions rather than householders, so you’re bound to find it more challenging.
At One Eleven we recommend the practice of transcendental meditation or Vedic meditation as our method of choice, because it’s effortless, simple, yet profoundly effective - and you don’t have to ‘stop thinking’. You will need to learn with a certified teacher, however the investment in doing this is arguably the best one you'll ever make.
Either way, there are so many wonderful practices out there and it’s important you do your research and find a practice or lineage you resonate with and enjoy.
7. Avoid 'all-or-nothing' thinking
A mistake that people often make is that if they miss one day, they feel they have failed and throw the towel in. If you fall off the bandwagon, don’t be hard on yourself, and simply get back into it the next day, as a fresh start! We aren’t going for perfection, we’re going for progress. That’s why it’s called a practice after all ;)