The world is getting pretty hectic right now with the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the earth and forcing everyone to practice social distancing.

Staying home is the most effective way to do so, but this comes at the cost of losing paychecks. While a number of workers are still needed outside of their homes, other people have started working from home, and mental stress is sure to follow as a result.

While it might sound nice and easy at first, working from home can take a toll on your mind after staring at a bright computer screen for 8 hours a day. Not to mention, the lack of movement, sunlight, communication, and days of being cooped up inside a house. So to help cope with procrastination and gloominess, practicing meditation can be a tremendous help.

With its many forms, meditation is a great option for you to get your mental health back on track. Here’s what you need to know:

The Benefits of Meditation

Right off the bat, meditation increases your attention span.

According to a 2011 study, researchers had participants practice different forms of meditation over the course of 7 years. At the end of the study, they had improved on all aspects of attention and focus. Of course, this would help you with your work from home, and with more endurance for your attention span, you’ll be able to get your work done with fewer distractions.

Another benefit of meditation is the reduction of stress and anxiety. Reducing your stress is one of the most important things you can do in times like these, as stress threatens your sleep levels and overall production of work. Lowering your stress will also improve these attributes and make your workday easier and more productive. In fact, studies show that almost 1,300 adults decreased their stress levels while practicing mediation, and unsurprisingly, the ones with the worst stress levels benefited the most. To prove this, another study put people into two groups: people who practiced meditation and people who didn’t. Low and behold, the people who practiced meditation had a much easier time falling asleep and staying asleep.

One more benefit of meditation is the creation of positivity. Being with your family 24/7 is now the reality that many people live in, and too much time with them can cause you to get frustrated or annoyed. Plus, the added stress from the loss of paychecks or other work-related things may possibly anger someone or yourself, so its best to combat those moods with the power of positive thinking.

How do you achieve positive thinking power? Meditation! Meditation wipes away negative thoughts oozing through your mind and afterward, it paves the way for clear and positive thinking.

Ways and Where to Meditate

There are many forms of meditation, from classic mindfulness meditation all the way to spiritual meditation.

However, most meditation sessions start roughly the same way: find a place to sit, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. This allows you to relax your body over time and take note of thoughts that pass by your mind during the experience. And if you get off track, always remember to go back to focusing on your breathing. Where to do these sessions is no mystery, as they are very flexible.

If you’re stuck at home, you can easily meditate in a desk and chair, and meditation is certainly possible in more comfortable spots like a bed or living room floor. Along with that, throwing some music in the background gives a nice touch of atmosphere and adds to the overall out-of-body experience.

If staying idle while meditating isn’t that appealing to you, there’s always yoga for a more active experience.

Yoga gets you up and moving while also gaining the benefits of meditation. And you don’t even need to leave the safety of your home since it’s really convenient to follow videos online nowadays.

Another meditation involved with staying on your feet is simply called movement/active meditation. It involves the same basic principals of mindfulness meditation: focus on your breathing, feel your body patterns, but this time, however, instead of sitting down, you’re doing something active like walking or running.

Written By Chase Maser