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Fitness

Warm Up to a Morning Warm-Up With These 3 Moves

Think your morning warm-up starts at the gym? Think again.

Imagine your treasured circa-1960 (not too far from our age, right?) Bugatti sitting in the garage awaiting a big day on the road. Do you hop in, start the engine, and hit top speed down the tollway? Never! You start the engine, idle to 'warm it up,' then purr down a side street before ever hitting full speed.

So why expect more of yourself? Eyes popping open with thoughts and feet running, you bound out of bed expecting your body to respond efficiently to the day's demands. We Prime Women can still be active in activities we've always enjoyed, but with a caveat: mindful modification and preparation. Let's talk prep.

Warm up to a morning warm-up

Understanding the power of an early warm-up came as I sat enraptured by a model in her fifties who was sharing her secret for runway longevity: her fitness routine began the moment she opened her eyes...in bed!

The warm-up, or "a balanced combination of static stretches and rhythmic limbering exercises that prepare the body..." according to the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America, is essential for warning the body of the physical stresses of the day. Body awareness doesn't have to begin at the gym. Why not begin the moment we take our first deep morning breath?

These 3 moves or stretches take just three minutes. Remember, your body has been shut down in repair mode all night, so be gentle. There should never be discomfort. If you do experience pain, always consult your physician.

To begin, in the morning as you open your eyes:

1. BREATH CONNECTION

Without a pillow, place head directly on the mattress and take a deep cleansing breath. This releases the stale CO2 in your lungs and surges fresh oxygen to your muscles and brain. Breathe again and exhale, slowly elongating legs and arms into a gentle pencil-like stretch, moving fingers and toes. Slide one foot at a time closer to your bottom. Feet will be flat on the bed, knees pointing to the ceiling. Press lower back into the mattress to engage your core. Enjoy a few breath cycles.

2. BACK STRETCH

Eyes to ceiling, hands behind thighs on hamstrings, gently bring one knee at a time toward the chest. Legs perpendicular to the bed with toes to ceiling, gently open the lower back, sinking belly button to the backbone. Release and return each foot to the bed. Now, give yourself a gentle hug and one arm at a time, stretching each over your body to release and open your upper back.

3. LEG/ANKLE STRETCH

Place hands behind upper thigh on the hamstring, knee soft with a gentle bend, and extend one leg into the air. As it's comfortable, gently point and flex your foot. Graduate to writing your imaginary initials in the air. Lower and repeat with the other leg.

Now, it's time to throw off the covers! With a grateful heart for a brand new day, you've done your morning warm-up and are ready to hit the ground running!

Don't forget to power up with an immune-boosting smoothie - which is especially beneficial during this pandemic.

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Warm Up to a Morning Warm-Up With These 3 Moves

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Fitness Think your morning warm-up starts at the gym? Think again. Imagine your treasured circa-1960 (not too far from our age, right?) Bugatti sitting in the garage awaiting a big day on the road. Do you hop in, start the engine, and hit top speed down the tollway? Never!

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Fitness

5-Minute Yoga For Open Hips and Lower Back

This yoga to open hips and stretch the lower back is part of the Prime Women 30-Day Fitness Challenge. If you haven't yet, get all the details and learn how you can participate! All you need is 5 minutes a day for 30 days to commit to a healthier you!

>JOIN THE PRIME WOMEN 30-DAY FITNESS CHALLENGE

If you have tight hips this yoga sequence will help open them. It will also give your lower back a good stretch. Dallas based yogi Nicole Payseur will guide you through this short sequence that will offer relief and stretch you out. Because this sequence is just a few minutes long it is great for people who are seeking relief but don't have a lot of time.

This sequence starts in a seated position and happens entirely on the floor. You may need a blanket to provide some extra support in the seated positions. When your hips are higher than the floor it gives the hips and groin a chance to relax.

Yoga for Open Hips

1. Turn sideways onto the left hip. Hold the right knee. Swing the torso so the right knee is all the way forward.

2. Lift the right leg up and if you can stack the right leg over the left. Ease sideways, placing the right elbow over the right knee then twist.

3. Inhale launch up and raise hands toward the ceiling. Get tall.

4. Exhale, the left hand goes to the outer right knee. Turn your left ribs forward and around. Then place the left elbow across right knee, twisting. Wind out.

5. Right foot inching sideways, cross the legs so ankles are wide apart, soles of feet toward the ceiling. Reach arms up and on the exhale walk the hands forward. If this is too much use your blanket or sit cross-legged and lean forward.

6. Release after several counts, and take your knuckles, drilling them into the arches of your feet. Massage the arches of the feet and pressure points there.

7. Swing legs out and still bent, swing legs from left to right.

8. Remove the blanket if using and swing to left hip, legs stacked and left leg on the floor, with knees bent. Grab the ankle and swing the top leg forward several times.

9. Place legs so they're stacked again and hang out in this position, swinging the neck, to open up the neck and ribs.

10. Move onto the right hip and repeat steps 1-9 for the opposite side.

11. Move onto your back with the knees still bent. Windshield wiper the knees from right to left.

12. Let the knees fall to one side then pick up your ankle and place it on the opposite knee. Stretch the arm (on the same side of the body as the leg that is resting on top) above the head. Use the other hand to help stretch the arm.

13. Release arm, and keeping ankle to knee bring both toward you, grabbing the foot to pull in closer. Take your hand and press the bent knee away from you. If you're able, stretch the leg your ankle is on toward the ceiling, grabbing the toes and pulling them toward you.

14. Release and go into happy baby pose. Let legs go to the side, knees toward you, grabbing a foot in each hand.

15. Release and then repeat steps 11-14 for the opposite side.

16. Ease out and bring knees together, hands on knees. Swing knees in a circular motion, reversing after a few cycles.

17. Fold your knees to one side, then outreach arm and look to the opposite side. Repeat on the other side.

18. Place soles of feet together, knees wide apart, arms outstretched. Stay here for ten deep breaths through the nose (or longer if you'd like). Close eyes and relax the face, the eyes, the space between the eyebrows.

19. Ease the legs to straight, let the toes turn out at an angle. Windshield wiper the feet.

20. Move the feet onto the floor and grab the back of the knees. using your core, slowly roll up and come back to sit.

What Causes Tight Hips?

Some of the causes of hip tightness include sitting for several hours a day like if you work in an office, stress from regular physical activity or sleeping on the side of the body all night long. It can also be caused by natural things, like if one leg is longer than the other or just the way you stand! If you tend to lean into one hip it could cause hip tightness.

How Do I Know If My Hips Are Tight?

You may feel tightness in your hips for many reasons. It comes from tension across the hip flexors, the muscles that connect the upper leg to the hip. You will often feel this tightness in the lower groin area or have lower back pain. Sometimes you may even experience hamstring strains associated with hip tightness. It can sometimes lead to issues in the lower back or knees. One way to determine if your hips are tight is through the Thomas Test.

>WATCH: 5-MINUTE YOGA FOR NECK, SHOULDERS AND BACK

>READ: SQUASH YOUR SELF-CRITIC WITH MEDITATION. INCREASE MINDFULNESS AND GRATITUDE.

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5-Minute Yoga For Open Hips and Lower Back

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Fitness This yoga to open hips and stretch the lower back is part of the Prime Women 30-Day Fitness Challenge. If you haven't yet, get all the details and learn how you can participate! All you need is 5 minutes a day for 30 days to commit to a healthier you!

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Lower back and hip pain are closely related. Untreated tightness in the hips usually leads to pain in the lower back. While pain in these areas can be caused by injury, today it is commonly caused by muscular imbalances as a result of frequent sitting or tightness from exercising.

The hip flexors attach to the spine, so when they are tight, lower back pain ensues. The outer hip muscles, like the piriformis or gluteus medius, can also become tight, causing tightness to shift into the lower back, causing pain. Luckily, pain caused by tight muscles can quickly be relieved in just a few short minutes.

Use this five-minute stretch routine to release lower back and hip pain from the comfort of your own home, office, or anywhere else.

If you are already experiencing tightness or pain, practice this routine one to two times daily, and make sure to check with your doctor before incorporating any new exercises or stretches. If you don't have pain but frequently sit or exercise, add this routine in a few times a week to stay loose and limber.

Cat-Cow Hip Circles | 30 sec
This dynamic exercise will warm up and bring fresh, oxygenated blood into your hips and lower back.

1. Begin in a tabletop position on your hands and knees.

2. Take an inhale to come into a cow pose by lowering your belly and tilting your tailbone up towards the sky. Press your chest forward. Exhale to come into a cat pose by rounding your spine, tilting your tailbone down, and feeling a stretch through your back.

3. Keep the shape of your cat pose and take a big circle with your hips to the right, circling back and around to the left until you come back up to the center. Inhale for cow pose again.

4. Repeat for 15 seconds in the direction, then switch directions.

Child's Pose | 30 sec
This yoga pose will give your hips and lower back a relaxing release to melt tension away.

1. Start in a tabletop position. Take your knees out wide to the edges of your mat and bring your toes to touch.

2. Sit your hips back on your heels, then walk your hands to the top of the mat, resting your forehead down.

3. Close your eyes and relax here for 30 seconds.

Runner's Lunge | 30 sec per side
Tight hip flexors create tension and pain in the lower back. This exercise will help to open them back up.

1. Begin in a tabletop position on your hands and knees.

2. Step your right foot outside of your right hand, then heel-toe the foot forward and out a couple of inches. Turn the toes out at a 45-degree angle.

3. Press your hips down and forward and engage your abs to feel a stretch through the front of the left hip flexor.

4. Hold for 30 seconds, then switch sides.

Supine Figure 4 | 30 sec per side
Release tightness in the outer hips and glutes to relieve pain in the lower back with this gentle stretch.

1. Lie down facing up with your knees bent and your feet on the ground.

2. Cross your right ankle over your left thigh. Pick up your left foot and thread your right arm between your legs. Interlace your hands behind your left thigh and hug the leg in towards your body to feel a stretch in the outer right hip.

3. Hold for 30 seconds. Then release and switch sides.

Gentle Supine Twists | 30 sec per side
This soothing exercise releases tension and pain along the lower spine and in the outer hips.

1. Lie down facing up and hug both knees into your chest.

2. Keep your feet lifted off the ground and parallel your shins to the mat. Bend your elbows and place the tops of your arms on the mat to feel a stretch in your chest.

3. Take an inhale, then exhale to lower both legs to the left. Keep your left shoulder on the ground.

4. You can place your right hand on your outer left thigh to deepen the twist. Look straight up or over your right shoulder.

5. Hold for 30 seconds, then switch sides.

Get More Easy Hip Exercises: 10 Soothing Stretches to Release Tight Hips

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Easy 5-Minute Stretch To Release Lower Back & Hip Pain

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20Lower back and hip pain are closely related. Untreated tightness in the hips usually leads to pain in the lower back. While pain in these areas can be caused by injury, today it is commonly caused by muscular imbalances as a result of frequent sitting or tightness from exercising.The hip flexors attach to the spine,...

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Life throws chaos at us on a regular basis-whether it's our finances, our relationships, or our health. In the work world, around 50 percent of people are burned out in industries like health care, ba n king, and nonprofits, and employers spend $300 billion per year on workplace-related stress.

In response, we just keep on pushing through, surviving on adrenaline. We overschedule ourselves; we drink another coffee; we respond to one more email. If we stay amped up all the time, we think, we'll eventually be able to get things done.

But all that does is burn us out, drain our productivity, and lead to exhaustion.

There's another way-a calmer way. Cultivating a more restful, relaxed state of mind doesn't mean we'll drown under all our responsibilities. Instead, research suggests it will bring us greater attention, energy, and creativity to tackle them. And science also points to simple ways we can tap into that calm state of mind to be more resilient in our chaotic lives.

A stressed mind vs. a calm mind

Stress was never meant to be a 24/7 experience. As Stanford professor Robert Sapolsky explains, you're really only supposed to feel stressed in the five minutes right before you die. When you are being chased in the savanna by a wild animal, your stress response is supposed to save your life-it mobilizes your attention, muscles, and immune system to get you quickly out of danger. When animals escape, they come right out of fight-or-flight mode and into "rest-and-digest" mode, where the parasympathetic nervous system is working to replenish their resources.

That stress response is supposed to be short-lived because it wears down your body, your health, and your energy. It also impacts things like your emotional intelligence and your decision making. When you're tightly wound up, you are more likely to react to situations than to respond with reason.

You also perceive the world differently. Stress makes us narrowly focused, preventing us from seeing the bigger picture. When we're calmer, our attention becomes broader. In fact, we literally see more things. In one study, participants went through a three-month meditation training. They then engaged in something called the attentional blink task, in which you watch images appear rapidly one after another. Usually when people do this exercise, their attention doesn't pick up all of the target images. But after that mindfulness training, participants were able to pick up more of the target images than pre-retreat-suggesting that their state of mind had become more attentive.

Being able to attend more means that you notice more things about other people and you're able to communicate with them in more powerful ways. High stress and anxiety (or any kind of negative emotion) make us self-focused, for an evolutionary reason: When our ancestors were stressed, it was because they were in a survival situation. It was good to be focused on yourself so you could save your life.

When we're stressed, we're less likely to notice if a colleague looks burned out or sad and more likely to get irritated if they don't perform as we expect. However, when you're in a calmer and happier place, that's probably the day when you will have more empathy: You'll notice your colleague and take the time to reach out and ask if there's anything you can do to support them.

When you're calm, you also manage your energy because you're not burning yourself up constantly, spending your days with your sympathetic nervous system in overdrive. Calm helps you focus on what you need to do and get it done much more quickly.

Calmness can also impact your creativity. Research suggests that our most creative ideas come in moments when we're not actively focused or stressed. We are most creative when our brain is in alpha wave mode, which is a relaxed state of mind-like when you're in the shower or taking a walk in nature. Indeed, people who go on an immersive nature retreat for four days come back with 50 percent increased creativity.

If you want to get the most out of yourself in terms of your productivity, creativity, and innovation-making progress at work or just solving the basic problems of life that you're faced with-calm is the key.

Four ways to cultivate a calm state of mind

We know how to become stressed. Most of us are really good at activating our adrenal system and getting wound up. The question becomes, then, how do you wind down? Research suggests several practices that not only feel good but also put us into a calmer, more relaxed state-a state from which we can cope better with whatever life throws at us.

1. Practice Breathing Exercises

Jake, who appears in my book The Happiness Track, was a U.S. Marine officer in charge of a Humvee on a convoy across Afghanistan, when his vehicle drove over an improvised explosive device. After the explosion, he looked down and saw that his legs were severely fractured below the knee. In that moment of shock, terror, and pain, he remembered a breathing exercise that he had read about for extreme wartime situations.

It allowed him to do his duty, which was to check on everyone else in the vehicle. It gave him the presence of mind to give orders to call for help, and to then tourniquet his own legs and prop them up before he fell unconscious-which saved his life.

Our breathing is a powerful way for us to regulate our emotions, and it is something we take for granted. Through your breath, you can activate your parasympathetic nervous system-the calming response in your body.

That's why we turned to breathing to help veterans-50 percent of whom don't see any improvement in their trauma symptoms from therapy or medication. The veterans were skeptical, but we began teaching them different breathing exercises. Within a couple of days, some of them started sleeping without medication; after the week-long program, many of them didn't qualify as having post-traumatic stress anymore, and that persisted up to a year later.

Using your breath, you can change how you feel. In another study, researchers observed people feeling different emotions and found that there was a different pattern of breath for each one. Then, they gave other people the different breathing patterns to perform and asked them, "How do you feel?" It turned out that doing those breathing exercises actually evoked the emotions.

One of the most calming breathing exercises you can do is to breathe in (e.g., to a count of four), hold, and then breathe out for up to twice as long (e.g., to a count of six or eight). You can gently constrict your throat, making a sound like the ocean, which is used in deep relaxation breathing. As you're doing this, especially thanks to those long exhales, you're activating the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing your heart rate and blood pressure.

2. Adopt an Attitude of Self-compassion

Often we are our worst critic. We think that being self-critical will help us be more self-aware and make us work harder, but that's a myth. In fact, according to a good deal of research, self-criticism destroys our resilience. We're less able to learn from our mistakes when we beat ourselves up. Self-critical people tend to have greater anxiety and depression, and an inability to bounce back from struggles.

Imagine someone running a marathon for the very first time in their life, and they trip and fall. Someone on the sidelines says, "You're a loser, you're so not a runner. What are you doing here? Go home." That person is our internal, self-critical voice. Self-compassion is somebody on the other side, who says, "Everybody falls, this is normal. You are so awesome, you're totally killing this."

Self-compassion is the ability to be mindful of your emotions-aware of the emotions that are going on inside whenever you fail at something. It doesn't mean you identify with them; you can just observe and notice them, without feeding the fire. Self-compassion also involves understanding that everyone makes mistakes and that it's part of being human. And it is the ability to speak to yourself the way you would speak to a friend who just failed, warmly and kindly.

When we adopt this attitude, research suggests, we are calmer-we have less feelings of stress as well as lower cortisol levels. We're also more resilient: We're less afraid of failure, and more motivated to improve ourselves.

3. Foster Genuine Connection

How often are we actually present for another person 100 percent? When was the last time somebody was 100 percent present with you, even your spouse?

There's a loneliness epidemic in the United States and across the world. We know that those feelings of loneliness are extremely destructive to our body and mind, leading to worse health and even earlier death. And the stress and lack of calm in today's world may contribute to this loneliness because of the way that it tends to make us self-focused.

Our greatest human need, after food and shelter, is to connect with other people in a positive way. From the moment we're born until our last day, we have a deep and profound longing to belong to one another. And when we fulfill that need, it brings us more calm: The oxytocin and natural opioids that we release when we connect may exert a calming influence on our bodies, and the knowledge that we have the support of others can soothe our minds. When we face adversity, research suggests that our relationships and community have an important role to play in our resilience.

So how do we create a state of mind where we feel more connected?

The good news is that by taking care of yourself and your own well-being with practices like breathing and self-compassion, you are able to turn more attention outward to feel more connected, as well. Positive emotions like calm naturally make us feel closer to other people. You can try specific practices that research has found to boost your sense of connection, as well.

4. Practice Having Compassion for Others

Imagine a day when things aren't going well for you-you spilled your coffee on yourself, and it's raining. And then a friend calls who's having a true emergency in their life, and you jump up and go help them immediately. What happens to your state of mind in that moment?

All of a sudden you have high energy; you're completely at their service. That is what practicing altruism, service, and compassion does to your life.

It increases your well-being tremendously, as many of us have experienced when we perform little acts of kindness. When we feel compassion, our heart rate goes down and our parasympathetic nervous system is more activated.

Kindness and compassion can also help protect us from adversity. In one of my favorite studies, researchers found that people who had been through traumatic life situations had a shorter lifespan. But among these participants, there was a small group of people who just seemed to keep on living. What was going on with these people?

When the researchers dug a little deeper, they found that they were all engaged in helping friends and family in their life-from assisting with transportation or shopping to housework and child care. Service is one of the most profound ways to nourish the community around you, but also to nourish, inspire, and energize yourself. It's like that children's book-when you fill someone's bucket, it also fills yours.

Cultivating calm isn't about avoiding every kind of stressful emotion. In fact, when we make time to breathe, connect, and care, some of the negative feelings we've been running from might catch up with us. But that's the time for self-compassion; it's okay to feel bad. Resilience doesn't mean that we'll be happy all the time, but it does mean we have the energy, the mindset, and the support from others to help us weather the storm.
This article was adapted from Greater Good, the online magazine of UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, one of Mindful's partners. View the original article.

A study suggests that practicing acceptance helps reduce our stress more than simple mindful awareness. Read More

Explore this practice to extend compassion to yourself, those around you, and the larger world. Read More

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Four Ways to Calm Your Mind in Stressful Times - Mindful

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Life throws chaos at us on a regular basis-whether it's our finances, our relationships, or our health. In the work world, around 50 percent of people are burned out in industries like health care, ba n king, and nonprofits, and employers spend $300 billion per year on workplace-related stress.

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If you’re short on time, you can still find mindfulness in just 1 minute.

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best ted talks on mindfulness - Google Search

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A collection of TED Talks (and more) on the topic of Mindfulness. ... When you're anxious, one of the best things you can do is slow down and focus on your ...

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The Honest Guys - Meditations - Relaxation

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5 Minute Quick Anxiety Reduction - Guided Mindfulness Meditation

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Is your mind too active for meditation? Do you have obsessive thoughts or lack concentration and focus?

You just need to quiet and tame the monkey mind.

Listen to these guided meditations to keep your focus, get quiet, and be present. Follow the prompts, listen to the music, focus on your breath, get centered, and let those pesky monkey mind thoughts drift away.

Here are 10 guided meditation videos I created on my Bob Baker Inspiration YouTube channel that will help you relax, calm anxiety, and reduce your stress ...

My gift to you. Get them here ...

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Best Guided Meditations for Relaxation, Anxiety, and Stress Relief

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Is your mind too active for meditation? Do you have obsessive thoughts or lack concentration and focus? You just need to quiet and tame the monkey mind. Listen to these guided meditations to keep your focus, get quiet, and be present.

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The Honest Guys - Meditations - Relaxation

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Whether you learn best through listening to podcasts, watching YouTube videos or reading blog posts, this list of free resources can help get improve your meditation practice.
For both those who are new to meditation and those seeking guidance in helping you deepen your meditation practice, the internet is abundant in free resources. Below are some excellent resources that can introduce you to meditation, provide guided meditation sessions tailored to specific goals, or simply give some inspiration to assist you in living a more mindful life.

PODCASTS

Untangle opens their microphone to both experts and 'real people' who share stories about how mindfulness practices have changed their lives. Untangle covers topics such as the importance of meditation, how meditation can change your life, and the effect meditation has on the lives of the podcasts' guests.

Perfect for busy people, this podcast offers 10-minute guided meditations that claim to help to calm anxiety, overcome negative thinking, increase confidence and more. The podcast is led by Chel Hamilton, a trained hypnotherapist, who makes an effort to lead her meditation sessions in a non-dogmatic nor religious manner.

Tara Brach offers unique guided meditation sessions that combine both her skill set as a meditation teacher and her experience as a psychotherapist. Dr. Brach has a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the Fielding Institute and has also completed a five-year Buddhist teacher training program at the Spirit Rock Meditation Center. If you're looking to gain a perspective of Western Buddhism, Dr. Brach offers a wise approach to freeing ourselves and society from suffering.

Once a week, the Rubin Museum of Art in New York presents a meditation session led by a prominent meditation teacher. Each podcast episode is recorded in front of a live audience and includes an opening talk, a 20-minute meditation session, and a closing discussion.

Meditation at the hammer is hosted by UCLA. Each episode also offers a new daily life practice, which you can then adopt for the week. The sessions are generally led by Diana Winston, the Director of Mindfulness Education at MARC. Some great examples of popular episodes include creating a balanced mind, improving our ability to focus, and staying present in difficult moments.

Meditation coach Mary Meckley provides guidance around following a weekly mindfulness and meditation theme. Mary includes tips on how to make meditation a more regular part of your day, which can be extremely helpful to both new and seasoned meditators. Some popular past themes have included stress management, anger management, guidance to overcoming self-doubt, overcoming fast fear, reducing anxiety, managing depression, and improving self-esteem.

Miscellaneous | Meditation Interviews

If you're looking to round out guided meditation sessions with some expert interviews as well as other insights into mindful living, you can tune into one of the additional podcasts below. These do not offer guided meditations, but they do introduce you to stories within the realm of mindful living.

YOUTUBE

This is a team of three from the U.K. that is dedicated to providing guided meditation for free in a straightforward manner, without the fluff. You'll also find relaxing music, nature sounds, power meditations geared toward specific emotions, guided sleep talk-downs, and affirmations on their channel.

Sealy is known for his deep, soothing voice. He is a trained hypnotist who believes in the power of positive hypnosis (a tranquil state of daydreaming) for improved self-control as well as assisting in your making of clear and empowered behavioural choices. Along with his positive hypnosis playlists, Sealy's channel offers guided meditation sessions in themes such as overcoming procrastination and perfectionism, reducing anxiety, and encouraging sleep.

At nearly 1 million subscribers, Jason Stephenson has created one of the most popular meditation channels available on YouTube. Stephenson provides a multitude of guided meditation sessions, relaxing nature sounds, meditation music, and inspirational talks.

This channel offers daily meditations that are between 1-10 minutes long. Meditation sessions range in topics such as anxiety, healing, depression, sleep, and parenting, general meditation tips, and affirmation playlists.

SPOTIFY

If you are somebody who likes to guide your own meditation practice, you may benefit from listening to calming nature sounds in the background. This specific playlist is comprised of 65 total tracks, some of which include cozy rain sounds, running stream sounds, summer night sounds, tropical forest sounds and more.

If you'd like to improve your focus and concentration in areas of your life such as work, school, and relationship management, this focus and concentration playlist is an amazing resource. Many meditation and mindfulness practices focus on improving your ability to concentrate on specific thoughts or mantras. Many find that improving these skills are extremely helpful once brought into additional areas of your everyday life.

If you have a yoga or meditation practice that you'd like to enhance, many find that ambient music serves as an incredible background sound. Spotify has many different options for playlists that contain ambient music, which allow for you to guide your own practice in an interesting and new way.

BLOGS

The Muse blog provides insight into meditation from a neuroscience perspective - many articles are formulated based on research, scientific findings, and scientific theory. Read this blog if you'd like to learn more about the evidence-based benefits of meditation, learn straightforward tips, and gather guidance you can carry into many aspects throughout your life.

Life and Dare is an excellent in-depth meditation resource. From Life and Dare, you can expect to find explanations of all types of meditation, details of the scientific benefits of meditation, common questions and myths answered about meditation, along with insights on personal growth and spirituality.

Karan is a bestselling novelist and yogi who has over 100,000 readers per month on his blog. He is a modern-day meditation mentor who also has a family and a full-time corporate job. Karen is somebody that many can relate to, which is extremely motivating for those who might find themselves in a similar life situation.

Last but not least, About Meditation is a wonderful resource if you're beginning a meditation practice. The blog focuses on many topics such as stress and relaxation, habits, lifestyle, benefits, techniques, and spirituality. About Meditation also offers a free beginner's course as well as guided meditations.

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The Ultimate List of Free Meditation Resources

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Whether you learn best through listening to podcasts, watching YouTube videos or reading blog posts, this list of free resources can help get improve your meditation practice. For both those who are new to meditation and those seeking guidance in helping you deepen your meditation practice, the internet is abundant in free resources.

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A wealth of virtual, home-accessible tools (apps, podcasts, videos, etc.) are now available to support mindfulness, relaxation and movement.

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Psycom.net - Mental Health Treatment Resource Since 1986

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If you struggle with anxiety but have never meditated, it might be worth a try. Studies have shown that meditation reduces anxiety by as much as 39%. 1 These resources-from guided meditation channels to music, apps, and podcasts-will get you started.

Take a look, take a listen, and take a breath....

Guided Meditation: Great for Beginners

When you're just starting out, listening to instructions given by a trained meditation teacher can be an effective way to stay focused.

1. The Omega Institute's YouTube channel offers a wide variety of meditations, including Noah Levine's basic Buddhist meditation for beginners and Pema Chodron's thoughtful Tonglen meditation, each under five minutes.

2. In another five-minute meditation, Robert Eric Dinenberg, MD, MPH talks you through a mindfulness-focused meditation.

3. Stop, Breathe, and Think offers a short meditation focused on breathing. Try this three-minute exercise.

4. This guided meditation session is an intermediate length-20 minutes-perfect to try during your lunch break or before you start another hectic day.

5. This 12-minute meditation is another helpful, guided lesson you can participate in on YouTube.

6. Want something longer? Try this 42-minute guided meditation.

7. This guided meditation is an ideal way to relax and clear your mind before going to sleep.

Meditative Music to Calm the Mind

If focusing on your breath seems impossible, meditating while listening to music might be a better approach for you. Try these relaxing options:

8. YellowBrickCinema offers lengthy (up to eight hours!) meditation music compositions.

9. If you enjoy more delicate sounds, try this meditative music option which adds flute sounds into the mix.

10. Acoustic guitar music can be very effective way to slows down the mind.

11. You can find several live streams of meditation music on YouTube where you can also see how many others are tuning in with you...just in case you're feeling lonely.

12. Meditating to music you already know and love won't work if you tend to sing along. A better option? Listen to the instrumental versions of your favorite songs on YouTube instead.

Let Nature Do the Talking

Nature sounds can be another wonderful meditation vehicle. Here are some of our favorites:

13. Sounds just like you're sitting by a stream listening to chirping birds

14. Put yourself on the shore instantly with ocean waves crashing

15. Indulge in sounds of a waterfall in the rainforest

16. Love falling asleep to rain? This one is for you!

17. Birds over rice terraces can help settle the mind.

There's an App for That

Using apps can be an easy way to explore meditation and discover which type feels right for you. Check out these options.

18. Insight Timer has it all-meditation music, guided meditation, and a customizable meditation timer.

19. Aura provides three-minute daily meditations and allows you to track your mood and help you figure out optimal times to meditate.

20. Stop, Breathe, & Think, mentioned earlier as a guided meditation option, is available in app form, too! Practice breathing and learn mindfulness with this helpful app.

21. For even more options, check out our 25 best mental health apps.

Podcasts: Anywhere, Anytime

Carry your favorite meditation with you on your phone!

22. Meditation Oasis is a podcast with guided meditations for everyone. Try starting with the walking meditation episode.

23. In The Daily Meditation Podcast, meditation coach Mary Meckley leads a daily guided meditation approximately 20 minutes long.

24. Meditation Minis, led by hypnotherapist Chel Hamilton, are all under 15 minutes.

25. Not ready to meditate? Hear more about the science and benefits of meditation from experts at 10% Happier. The host, veteran news reporter Dan Harris, discovered meditation after having an on-air panic attack.

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Top 25 Best Meditation Resources and Guided Meditation Apps

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If you struggle with anxiety but have never meditated, it might be worth a try. Studies have shown that meditation reduces anxiety by as much as 39%. 1 These resources-from guided meditation channels to music, apps, and podcasts-will get you started. Take a look, take a listen, and take a breath....

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The Work at Home Woman | Legit Work From Home Jobs

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Now more than ever, workplaces are encouraging employees to practice mindfulness, the act of paying attention on purpose. Mindfulness means living in the present moment and using techniques to explore thoughts and feelings without any judgment. It's incredibly useful too, improving attention spans and reducing stress in both the brain and behavior for those who practice consistently.

At a hectic office where it's easy to get lost in an overscheduled shuffle, employees are embracing these exercises to combat against accidentally leading a "blink, and you miss it" life. But what about entrepreneurs who work-from-home?

While being at home means alleviating some stressful attributes of going into an office - like long meetings, difficult coworkers, and the commute - consider the distractions. An inbox pinging with emails. Open tabs to Twitter and Facebook on a desktop.

Just like anyone in a physical office, remote workers need mindfulness to create an inner peace that will allow them to be productive within the present.

If you're ready to squeeze in a bit of mindfulness while working from home, here are five easy exercises that can fit into your schedule and keep you on track with your workload.

5 Ways to Practice Mindfulness While Working From Home

1) Deep Breathing

Most mindfulness listicles begin with breathing exercises and with good reason. This technique is universal and can be done no matter where you are, how much time you have, or what position you're in. Clear your head and focus on your breath. Breathe in and out slowly, counting to three. Relax your entire body as you inhale and exhale. Close your eyes to relax and concentrate on letting your thoughts be still. Let go of your to-do list in favor of spending a minute or two peacefully breathing deeply in and out.

There is a belief within yoga teachings that you live longer if you breathe longer. Breathing is a part of the energy that fuels yourself and the world around you. Let it naturally relax with you.

2) Delete Your Apps

Not all of them, of course, but consider the apps on your smartphone that you don't use. If you don't need them, delete them. Delete these apps and rather than immediately downloading something else to fill in its place, enjoy the extra space.

3) Pay Attention to What You Eat

When working from home, it's easy to let food become a blur. Maybe you skipped breakfast, have leftovers for lunch, are snacking in between, and getting takeout for dinner. Eating is one of our biggest mindfulness opportunities, and when we eat too much or too little, it can negatively affect how productive we are.

What does your week in food look like? Keep a journal with notes on the food you ate throughout the week and how it made you feel along with your actions.

Did you take small bites or large ones?

Did you multitask while eating?

What time of the day did you eat?

Did you go outside or stay inside?

What about the food itself?

Was it fresh?

Salty?

Flavorful?

Maybe even note the journey of food as it made its way to your plate, whether that means it was a tomato grown in a patch in your backyard or a mozzarella log picked up at the farmer's market. Taking a closer look at what you eat, and the way you do it, ultimately allows you to nourish the body with food that satisfies and takes it through the next eight hours and beyond.

Related Content: Easy Solutions to Prevent Weight Gain While Working from Home

4) Create a Daily Gratitude and Accomplishment Journal

Mindfulness may be about living in the present, but there is something to be said about appreciating everything you have already done and all that you have in your life too.

Create a journal with two columns - one for your accomplishments and another for things you're grateful for - and keep it at your work desk. Add one item in each column every day. These don't have to be ostentatious achievements either. Finishing work half an hour early to volunteer at a local soup kitchen or being grateful for packages that arrive a day earlier than planned are simple but soulful, reminders worth jotting down.

By the end of the week, the pages of the journal should be full of extraordinary ordinary things that you might have forgotten about otherwise. Now you're mindful of their presence and thankful for how much they contribute to your life.

5) Listen

Just as breathing forces you to let go and concentrate on inhaling and exhaling, mindful listening allows you to listen without judgment. If you have Pandora or Spotify on as background noise, put on shuffle and listen to the next song that comes up all the way through without skipping ahead. Listen thoughtfully and embrace the sounds within, including the lyrics, instruments, artist's voice, and rhythm.

If you're about to meet with someone to discuss an assignment or taking a meeting via Skype, put away any distractions, and focus on the person in front of you. Give them your undivided attention. Listen carefully, ask questions, use body language to communicate, and take notes to show them you are here and invested in the conversation.

Conclusion

Even though working from home provides a less stressful environment than its traditional office counterpart, it's still important to be mindful of your actions. To aid in using these simple tips, try scheduling in time for each activity. As you begin to build healthy habits, you'll notice a greater sense of inner peace and enhanced productivity.

What do you encourage mindfulness in your day-t0-day routine? Drop us a note; we'd love to hear from you!

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5 Ways to Practice Mindfulness While Working From Home

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Now more than ever, workplaces are encouraging employees to practice mindfulness, the act of paying attention on purpose. Mindfulness means living in the present moment and using techniques to explore thoughts and feelings without any judgment. It's incredibly useful too, improving attention spans and reducing stress in both the brain and behavior for those who practice consistently.

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Whether you're working from home or self-isolating, this 'new normal' presents its own unique challenges. We all need a simple daily routine, infused with nourishing practices to lift our mood and energy levels and keep us feeling connected. Mindfulness techniques can be a great way to keep us all anchored in calm with no extra time, energy or expense required.

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment as it happens - what's occurring around you and what you experience inside (your thoughts, sensations and emotions). The ability to notice also needs to be coupled with acceptance (allowing things to be as they are), and a good dose of self-compassion (acknowledging when things are tough). Mindfulness helps us manage difficult moments and to truly appreciate the good times.

How can mindfulness help your wellbeing?

Central to the concept of mindfulness is knowing that you are not your thoughts or emotions - you experience them. You are the witness to all these passing experiences. Mindfulness helps us step back so that we are less pushed around by our thoughts and feelings, and in that pause we have greater ability to choose how we respond. There are many mindfulness techniques that can help soothe anxiety, but it's not a one-size-fits-all approach. Different things resonate for different people, so enjoy experimenting with these tools and see what works for you.

8 easy ways to practise mindfulness at home

1. Build a daily routine

Routines give a sense of rhythm to our day which is deeply comforting. It also helps to boost your circadian rhythms, promoting the chance of better quality sleep, which we all know is central to feeling good. As best possible, keep regularity to the time you wake up. Kick off your morning with a healthy breakfast, so you can think with clarity, and get dressed in an outfit that helps you feel put together. Set some loose boundaries to your working day, with a time that you clock on, taking breaks to refresh, and a time when you down tools in the evening. Set aside time for relaxation so you're ready to hit the ground running tomorrow.

2. Create a harmonious environment

Outer order helps to create inner harmony, so make your bed, straighten up your living space, throw the curtains open to maximise natural light and make your work area as clear as possible to help you concentrate. Notice how a quick tidy literally blows the cobwebs from your mind. If you can, get outside and enjoy the soothing effects of being in nature, but even watching the moving cloudscape from your desk can help you feel grounded.
3. Focus your mind

When your mind feels full or worries are looming large, bring it back to something constructive by thinking about what lies within your control. We can get caught in an endless spiral of 'what ifs', but 'what can I do' puts you back in the driver's seat. If your mind keeps flitting to things beyond your control, go gently on yourself and use the healthy distractions like the ones below.
4. Move for mental health

We often associate the benefits of movement with the physical body but we need it just as much for our minds. Nothing fancy is required! Some gentle yoga stretches to release tension, a swift walk up and down the stairs to get the blood and endorphins pumping or a kitchen disco session can be a great mood boost!
5. Enjoy micro moments

Dot your day with soothing practices to help you feel a sense of wellbeing. It can be as simple as massaging in some hand balm with a scent you love, a single piece of music or a minute of meditation to calm you. Keep yourself well fed and watered so you can think straight too.
6. Breathe better to feel better

Slowing down your breath can calm your mind and body, but if focusing on the breath alone feels difficult, move with the breath instead: find a comfortable place to rest your hands, palms facing upwards. As you breathe in, open your hands fully and as you breathe out, make a gentle fist. Keep focusing on the movement of your hands and notice how this relaxes your breathing - a great distraction from unhelpful thoughts.
7. Make time to connect

Connection is like soul food, so make the time to talk on the phone, send a text to check in and just communicate with others.
8. Reboot yourself

You are no different from your devices, so switch off and nourish yourself with downtime. Mindful choices include podcasts, audiobooks, guided relaxation like 'yoga nidra', TV and movies that inspire you, or try your hand at a spot of gratitude journalling. If you are feeling stressed or anxious, do not disregard it. Seek advice from your GP or health professional, or visit Mind for information and support.
Looking for more mindfulness guides?

Suzy Reading is a regular contributor for In The Moment magazine, where you can find more inspiring articles on mindfulness and wellbeing. Here are a few of our favourites:

Or discover more wellbeing guides from BBC Good Food:
Stress relief: How diet and lifestyle can help
Top 10 tips for working from home
The health benefits of exercise
10 foods to boost your brainpower

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Whether you're working from home or self-isolating, this 'new normal' presents its own unique challenges. We all need a simple daily routine, infused with nourishing practices to lift our mood and energy levels and keep us feeling connected. Mindfulness techniques can be a great way to keep us all anchored in calm with no extra time, energy or expense required.

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Quiet the Noise, Soothe your Soul with Mindfulness and Meditation

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Shannon Albarelli, Psy.D. is a Co-Founder of Qwell, New Jersey's premier meditation and wellness studio. She helps people navigate the stressors of modern life by providing them with skills and giving perspective to generate wellness from the inside out.

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Jessica Amos spoke at TEDxSalem II and returned to the stage in 2019 as one of our entertainment pieces. Here she shares a quick guided mindfulness meditation session with our audience to help them open their minds for the events of the day.

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1. Create a mindful workspace

Our external environment can set the tone for our internal well-being. To create a mindful workspace-one that anchors you in the present moment-surround yourself with images and messages that are meaningful to you.

Dr. Andreatta has a framed picture of Fall leaves in New England to remind her of the abundance surrounding her, and a Buddha statuette to remind her to stay in the moment. For me, I keep my plants and essential oils nearby to bring life into the space and help me stay present and focused.

Other workspace adds that Dr. Adreatta recommends are a candle, a favorite mug, and colorful pens and pencils to encourage creativity.

2. Stay grounded during video meetings

Video calls require more focus than face-to-face interaction, making meetings more challenging than ever.

To ground yourself, first set your posture. Plant your feet on the floor, feel where your body meets the chair, and take a deep breath to settle in.

Then, set an intention before you join the meeting. Do you want to feel more connected to your colleagues? Share a big idea? Practice sitting back and listening more? Whatever your intention, it can serve as a North Star to guide you and help you stay present.

During the meeting, tune into the dynamics of yourself and others. What is your response to the discussion? Are people stressed? Is there a lot of enthusiasm around a certain topic?

When you tap into this deeper level of awareness, you can engage in a more active and empathetic way.

3. Take more breaks!

There are times we need to push through a challenge, and times we need to take a break. Especially amidst the uncertainty we're living in, more often than not the best choice for your well-being is to take a break.

"Rest is a radical act and I encourage you to engage in resting," says Dr. Andreatta.

Listen to music, read a book, lay in the grass and look up at the clouds-whatever soothes your body and soul and brings you back to the present moment.

Schedule several breaks throughout your day, but also allow yourself to take an unplanned break after a tough meeting, or when you're feeling stuck. These mini-moments of mindfulness will decrease stress, improve your productivity, and give you the space you need to show up as your best self.

Check out more mindfulness courses and other relevant courses to help you learn the skills to be productive from home, find a new job, and build resilience for free through June 30th.

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How to Be More Mindful When Working from Home

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Our external environment can set the tone for our internal well-being. To create a mindful workspace-one that anchors you in the present moment-surround yourself with images and messages that are meaningful to you. Dr. Andreatta has a framed picture of Fall leaves in New England to remind her of the abundance surrounding her, and a Buddha statuette to remind her to stay in the moment.

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Mindfulness Fundamentals: A 6-Week Online Mindfulness Course Develop a personal mindfulness practice to deepen self-awareness and increase well-being.

Free Mindfulness Exercises, a selection of guided mindfulness meditations to introduce you to mindfulness practice and support your existing practice.

studies the psychology, sociology, and neuroscience of well-being, and teaches skills that foster a thriving, resilient, and compassionate society.

, is a psychologist, Senior Fellow of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, and New York Times best-selling
author. Mindful is the voice of the emerging mindfulness community. We're the place to go for insight, information, and inspiration to help us all live more mindfully.

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Mindfulness Fundamentals: A 6-Week Online Mindfulness Course Develop a personal mindfulness practice to deepen self-awareness and increase well-being. Free Mindfulness Exercises, a selection of guided mindfulness meditations to introduce you to mindfulness practice and support your existing practice. studies the psychology, sociology, and neuroscience of well-being, and teaches skills that foster a thriving, resilient, and compassionate society.

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Yoga Break! 5 Minute Chair Yoga Sequence

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Chair yoga is a general term for practices that modify yoga poses so they can be done while seated in a chair. These modifications make yoga accessible﻿﻿ to people who cannot stand, lack the mobility to move easily from standing to seated to supine positions, or want a quick break from office work.

Many of the basic body mechanics of the individual postures remain the same. While seated on chairs, students can do versions of twists, hip stretches, forward bends, and mild backbends.

In addition to a good stretch, chair yoga participants can also enjoy other health benefits of yoga,﻿﻿ including improved muscle tone, better breathing habits, stress reduction,﻿﻿ better sleep, and an improved sense of well-being.﻿﻿

Who Does Chair Yoga?

Chair yoga can be practiced by anyone who wants to enjoy the benefits of yoga and may (or may not) have mobility limitations. For example, chair yoga is great for anyone who needs more support, is managing an injury, or wants a more therapeutic approach to the practice.

Chair yoga classes are widely available in senior centers and retirement communities, as older adults are its biggest target audience. But people who are obese﻿﻿ and people with neurological diseases﻿﻿ are also good candidates for chair yoga. Office workers can also take advantage of chair yoga's adaptations to do stretches at work.

The Best Chair for Yoga

Since chair yoga is all about adaptability, it should come as no surprise that the particular chair you use is not important; you don't have to run out and buy a specialized yoga chair. Chairs with wheels are not ideal since they are unstable, but almost any other chair will do. If you are on the shorter side, put blocks or a folded yoga mat under your feet to give yourself a firm foundation.

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Chair yoga is a general term for practices that modify yoga poses so they can be done while seated in a chair. These modifications make yoga accessible﻿﻿ to people who cannot stand, lack the mobility to move easily from standing to seated to supine positions, or want a quick break from office work.