1.Setatimer Meditationandclock-watchingdon’texactlygohand-in-hand,sosetatimeronyourphoneorcomputer.Ideally,you’llbesettingitfortraveltradenewsfiveminutes—enoughtimetotakeabreakwithoutbeingmissed—buttheexactlengthoftimeisuptoyou.Itdoesn’tmatterifyoumeditatefor30secondsor5minutes:justchooseatimethatfeelsright.2.GroundyourselfThisexerciseismosteffectivewhenyoucaneithersitorliedowntoreplenishyourenergy.Itdoesn’tmatterwhereyouchoosetodothis,aslongasthelocationiscomfortableenoughforyourfive-minutemeditation.Ifyouchoosetosit,youcaneitherplaceyourselfonthegroundcross-legged,orsitonachairwithyourfeetfirmlyrootedandincontactwiththeground.3.CheckyourpostureSlouchingisn’tknownforit’srevitalisingproperties,sotakeamomenttocheckyourposturebeforeyoubegin.Ifyou’resitting,trytokeepyourbackasstraightaspossible,withouttensingup.Makesureyourshoulders,neckandjawarerelaxed,anddoaquickmentalscanovertherestofyourbodytocheckforanypocketsoftension.4.DecideontheeyesWhilemeditating,youcankeepyoureyesclosedorBusinessCentreinHongKongopen.Ifyouhaveaprivatespace,youmightprefertoclosethem;ifyou’resittinginthemiddleofabusyoffice,however,youmightprefertokeepthemopen.Whenmeditatingwithyoureyesopen,findonepointaboutthreefeetinfrontofyouandfocusonthatthroughoutthemeditation(youcanalsostareatasinglepointonthebaseofyourcomputerifthishelpsyoumeditateunnoticedatwork).Whetheryouchooseeyesclosedoropen,stickwiththatmethodthroughoutthemeditation.5.FocusonthebreathStartyourtimerandbringyourfocusonyourhongkongcompanysecretaryservicebreathing.Don’ttrytochangeyourbreathingoradoptanypatternthatfeelsunnatural(you’regoingtobedoingthisforuptofiveminutessoyourbreathneedstobesustainable).Simplynoticehowyourbreathingfeelsrightnow:isitparticularlyshalloworuneven?Canyoufindawaytobreathedeeplyandregularlythatfeelsnatural?6.NoticeyourattentionYourbiggestblocktoyourfive-minutemeditationwillbeyourself—or,morespecifically,yourmind.Onceyoustartfocusingonyourbreath,yourmindwillsenseagapinyourthoughts,andwilltrytoplugitasquicklyaspossiblewithmorethoughts.Ifyounoticeyourselfgettingcaughtupinatrainofthought,simplybringyourattentionbacktoyourbreath.Itdoesn’tmatterhowmanytimesthishappens(anditwillgeteasierwithpractice);eachtimeyounoticeyourselfrunningawaywiththoughtsandstories,simplyreturntothebreathandfocusoneachinhaleandexhaleuntilyourtimergoesoff.
