When you hear the word meditation it’s easy to think of new age-y type folks sitting cross legged chanting “ohm.” But, meditation can take a lot of forms… and, it’s really helpful in reducing stress. It’s one reason it’s been used since ancient times. Meditation is simply the act of focusing on one thing to clear the mind of all other things. So, yes, you can focus on a chant like ohm, or more commonly just on your breathing. Many times when we’re stressed, we’re dealing with competing priorities and pressures – all thoughts that tend to race through the mind. Meditation removes those thoughts, relaxes your muscles and can lead to a feeling of calm. There are different types of meditation, the first is -Breathing meditation. To do this focus on breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. It may take a few breath cycles to get into the zone here, so don’t give up. Once you’re focused only on your breath, continue that for a short time giving your mind time to clear. -Another form of meditation is guided meditation. You can do this with an audio recording, or a written script as your guide. The voice will ask you to sit down and fix your mind to a peaceful setting. Again, it may take a little time to feel fully relaxed, but that’s ok. As you imagine the setting, focus on your breathing and how your body feels. Stay in that peaceful setting for a few moments and relax. When you’re ready to finish, count to three and open your eyes. -Mantras are often what people think of first when they hear about meditation. To practice mantra meditation, sit comfortably and close your eyes. Now, think of a word or short phrase – this will be your mantra. Focus on that mantra, repeating it out loud or silently in your head. Focus only on that word or phrase until your body is relaxed and your breathing is calm. Stay in this mode for a few moments before getting back to your other activities. -Finally, countdowns are another type of meditation. To do this type, sit comfortably and close your eyes. Take a deep breath in and picture a number in your mind. Now exhale. As you take another deep breath, picture the number one smaller than the one you started with. Continue this to you get to zero. Keep focused on the numbers – and count back up to finish. The nice thing about meditation is it can be done just about anywhere. Stuck in the office, take five minutes for deep breathing. Looking at a stressful week, meditate Monday morning – or all five weekday mornings. It can be hard to break away from a stressful moment for personal meditation time. But, those five to ten minutes can really help you calm down, and clear your head so you can tackle the projects you have in front of you.