Meditation for a Busy Mind
Struggling with an overly busy mind that won’t switch off? Meditation could be the solution.
What do we mean by a busy mind?
Do any of these sound familiar?
- You’re out for dinner with a friend, but all you can think about is work.
- You wake up in the middle of the night, and your brain starts whirring.
- You replay conversations over and over in your head.
- You want to read a book or watch a film, but your mind keeps wandering.
- Your brain feels like a computer screen with far too many open tabs.
Most of us experience all of the above occasionally. But sometimes, your mind can become so busy for so long that it starts to seriously impact your life, affecting your relationships and mental health.
When does having a busy mind become a problem?
To reach the top of your profession, you need to be alert and focused. At times, that means your mind may need to be busy. If you’re trying to land a multi-million-pound client, negotiate a new contract or deliver a winning project, you’re going to have a lot on your mind. And that’s fine.
A busy mind only becomes a problem when there’s no respite. Your mind needs rest, just like your body. Holding so many thoughts front of mind means you can’t switch off.
All those thoughts are vying for attention, trying to make sure you don’t forget to book a meeting with a key client, or pick your child up from after-school club, or book a dentist appointment, or any of the other million and one tasks you need to do.
A busy mind only becomes a problem when there’s no respite. Your mind needs rest, just like your body. Holding so many thoughts front of mind means you can’t switch off.
If you can’t quieten those thoughts, you end up feeling overwhelmed, which can cause several side effects, including:
- Sleep problems
- Irritability
- Lack of focus
- Reduced energy
- Stress and anxiety
- Poor judgement
- Inability to make decisions
- Burn out
Plus, when there are so many thoughts clamouring for your attention, it’s difficult to focus on what’s actually important. If you’re constantly thinking about work, you can’t give your full attention to your friends and family. Likewise, it’s harder to succeed at work if you keep thinking about the news or your homelife.
Calming a busy mind with meditation
Meditation has been used for centuries to ease tension and stress, calm a racing mind and bring a sense of peace and calm. The NHS says, “By releasing physical tension held in the body, meditation can help us release worries buried in the mind, easing anxiety, stress and low mood, and even helping you get deeper, more restful sleep.”
There are many different styles of meditation. I teach Vedic Meditation, which is easy to learn and highly effective. This type of meditation can be done anywhere, and it doesn’t require books, apps, chimes, singing bowls or any other equipment.
Instead, you use a personalised mantra to de-excite your nervous system. This releases tension, calms that mental noise and reduces stress.
How long does it take for meditation for a busy mind to work?
Most of my students report benefits within days (or even hours) of starting to meditate. Meditation isn’t an occasional quick-fix however. To feel the full benefits, you need to make it part of your daily routine.
By meditating for just 20 minutes, twice a day, my students feel calmer, less stressed and less overwhelmed throughout the day.
“Since learning meditation, my mind feels so much clearer, lighter and more settled.”
Tiffany Watt Smith
Academic and Author
Other ways to cure a busy mind
A busy mind can’t be ‘cured’ exactly, as the busy state will keep returning. However, you can stop it from taking over your life.
Alongside meditation, you could try:
- Putting your thoughts down onto paper.
- Getting out into nature more often. (Just two hours in nature each week has been proven to be beneficial for your mental health.)
- Reframing unhealthy thoughts.
- Taking slow, deep breaths in and out when your mind starts racing.
- Talking about your feelings to a therapist or someone you trust.
If your busy mind is due to a heavy workload, you may want to automate certain processes or take on extra staff.
However, one of the joys of Vedic meditation is that it gives you more energy, meaning that you can get more ticked off your to-do list in less time.
How to learn meditation
The first step to learning meditation is to come along to a free online talk. You’ll find out more about Vedic Meditation and have the chance to ask questions.
Attend a free online talk to learn how meditation can calm your mind.
Copyright © Mira Meditation
Learn to Meditate
Join me for a free talk on Zoom. I'll explain all about meditation and answer your questions.