An excellentt way to get you started on your way to Zen-Land is to use mini-meditations. They need no fussy preparation or techniques, and it can be done anywhere in less than a minute — so they’re ideal mindfulness exercises whether you’re at home in a quiet room or in the midst of a busy day at work. Here’s the method:

1. Cease whatever you’re doing. Take a minute for yourself, and mentally put aside what you’re doing. Keep in mind: the whole exercise takes less than a minute, so you dont't have to make a big deal about looking for the perfect stopping point. It’s really more a pause than a stop, and you’ll be calmed and able to begin what you’re doing again in just a little bit.

2. Close your eyes. Let your eyes close and be calm.

3. Pay attention to your breathing. The core of this practice is awareness of your breathing. You don't need to do anything special with it — just breathe normally, but pay attention to the sensation of your breath by inhaling and exhaling. If you’d like, you may breathe a bit slower and more profoundly than you normally do.

4. Count three full inhale-exhale cycles. Inhale and exhale. As you exhale, think to yourself: one. Inhale and exhale again, and think: two. Finally, inhale and exhale, and think: three.

5. Slowly open your eyes and continue what you were doing.
That’s it! Nice and simple. Try mini-meditations occasionaly throughout your day, and see for yourself if it’s helpful to you.

Calm Mind