Meditation just does not work for me.

Has it crossed your mind?

Are you sick and tired of people telling you just MUST try harder, persist and practice and it will happen?
Well, you have tried hard, and it hasn’t happened.
You want a sharp focus, crystal-clear mind, bold decisions, supercharged memory, boosted creativity…. And yes, meditation can bring it on,  but what if you fall asleep three minutes into it, or you sit there in agony counting the minutes left till the end of the session?

Welcome to my club.

crystal skull (morgue) edited

 

I’m not saying meditation is bad. I’m not arguing with the overwhelming evidence. Yes, motivation is the gold standard for stress reduction, improved cognitive skills, healthier body, happiness and other great things

All I’m saying that sometimes for some people it just does not work.

So what can you do if you one of them?

Here’s a daring thought: dump your efforts to conquer meditation, ditch the loathsome deep breathing practice, and embrace your difference. Meditation may be the gold standard for all sorts of health and wealth benefits, but there are other ways of achieving greater clarity of mind, laser-sharp focus and boundless creativity. And they maybe be even easier to master than you think.
Controversial? Well, see for yourself!

 

Method #1. The simplest way to declutter your mind

Let’s start with something really easy. All you need is pen and paper (or a suitable piece of software) to capture all those free-range thoughts. Better still, set up an ‘idea notebook’, so you can keep your ideas in one place. It can work well with method #2 and for any creative process.

The moment a thought pops into your mind and it’s not related to what you should be working on, grab a piece of paper/your idea notebook and write it down.

Make sure you always have a piece of paper/your idea notebook and a pen easily accessible. Don’t go for anything fancy or fiddly. The key is to have is handy. This is particularly important when it comes to using apps – don’t let the technology disrupt your thinking process.

Just write down what’s buggering you and relax (you can even do a deep breathing, if you want) – your ideas are safe in your notebook, you can go back to concentrating on your work.
The same goes for any thought that troubles you emotionally: is Grandma cross with me for not calling her last Sunday? Will I make a fool of myself by publishing this post on my blog? What if I fail?
All those fears and negativity is just emotional crap clouding your mind. Get it out of there – ‘paper is more patient than man’ (Anne Frank). Feel free to go back to it at some point, but unlike your ‘idea notebook’, you’re unlikely to find any gems there.
I have adapted this method from David Allen’s Getting Things Done (read more about it here and here). A variation on it is  journaling, multiple benefits of which are well described here and here.
I have written more about how I use this method here.

Method #2. Get an at-a-glace view from above

When you can’t see the forest for the trees, forget the details, let them go out of focus, and concentrate on the high-level view.

If you stuck in your thinking, can’t see a solution, or can’t make sense of a situation, map it all out. Build a mind map on a board/large piece of paper, or in mind-mapping software. You can also write on separate pieces of paper and then use your desk/table. Organise those bits of information into strands, stories, sequence of steps on your plan.

When you feel you’ve got it all out there, move away a few steps and look at it. Let it sink in. Walk away, and get a cuppa, or go for a walk/sleep on it. Come back and look at it again.
Are there any patterns or logical sequences emerging? A new plan? An idea for a new product? Anything new you have not seen before?
Shuffle, and play with various arrangements, trying new ways of organising information you have.
Gaining psychological distance to your problem, an idea, issue, or your emotional turmoil has multiple benefits. By detaching yourself from what’s bothering you, you put yourself into an abstract frame of mind. Research shows that creating psychological distance reduces the feeling of difficulty, encourages adapting self reflection, and help us ‘cool down’ and look at emotional situations with more rational perspective.

 

Method #3. Wash the dishes

Or go for a run/a long walk.

This approach employs the benefits of diffuse mode of thinking over focused mode of thinking.

Focused mode of thinking is the rational, analytical, problem-solving mode requiring high attention. The diffuse mode – is more relaxed, often working quietly in the background, particularly when we are not consciously paying attention to anything. This approach tend to result in ‘light bulb moments’ flashes of insight .

Focused mode is best for solving problems we are familiar with, using patterns we know. Diffuse mode is great in all those situation where we don’t know what to do, when we cannot figure out what’s going on, feeling confused, disorientated, or lost. Many artists, innovators and other creative minds, used the diffuse mode of thinking to spark their creativity.

Focused mode of thinking is our ‘default’ thinking, so when you feel stuck, turn it off and go wash some dishes.

Why washing up?

The best way to kick into the diffuse mode of thinking is to… turn off the focused one. And the best way to turn off our attention is to do something that does not require much attention, can be done on autopilot; something that would keep your body busy, but let your mind wander, like house chores, or exercise.

And here is where meditation may not do as well as this unorthodox approach. In meditation, even though you may be able to turn off your attentive mind, you should not hold onto you brilliant thought either. But what’s the use of a breakthrough discovery if you cannot remember it, or work on it a little more in your mind the moment it pops up there!

In order to take advantage of diffuse mode of thinking, you need to hold onto your insight until you’re able to write it down. Don’t delay it for too long. That’s why I have my idea notebook handy whenever I can, and when I can’t (e.g. when out running), I write it down as soon as can, before I get involved in the next thing (so before the shower).

 

Method #4. Hit the rock bottom

This is a powerful method of breaking through all sorts of intellectual and emotional crap, but it comes with a ‘do not attempt it at home’ warning! It’s not about ‘engineering’ a worst-of-the-worst experience, but using a bad situation to your advantage.
I’ve spoken to many people who experienced some major setback in life, whether a natural disaster, a death/near-death experience, or a considerable health problem. They all said a similar thing: being in a ‘life-at-stake’ situation puts everything else in a different perspective.

This is also confirmed by research: although traumatic life events can trigger major mental health problems, for about 50% of people these events can bring on positive outcomes as well. Most important changes occur in the area of self-concept (self-perception), relationships with others, and personal growth and life priorities.

My recent period of severe stress helped me see though the confusion and chaos of my multiple commitments. Even though I wasn’t immediately able to judge what my priorities were and where I wanted to go, I felt painfully what I did not want to be of importance anymore. I ruthlessly eliminated all that irrelevant stuff and once the view was uncluttered, I could see my new goals crystal-clear.

When you down there, at the bottom of a deep, deep pit, you quickly realise that, although you can sit there with your eye closed, or, once your eyes get used to the darkness, look around, there is really only one direction you can see clearly – up. A narrow focus, but what clarity!

And once the self- preservation mode inevitably kicks in, that fear of failure, or success, or anxiety about what other people may think – all becomes irrelevant. The smokescreen of emotional ballast dissipates, and you can see what really matters to you – your life purpose, the best choice, the least-damaging option.

As I said before, I do not recommend engineering a life-changing experience like that, but if you happen to be at the bottom, see it as an opportunity to clear your mind and sharpen your focus. You can also use your imagination to think up the worst-case scenario for the situation you’re seeking solution for, and then look at your problem from this perspective. What else can go wrong? How does your perspective shifts? What has become irrelevant and what’s of utmost importance? What do you want to do now? Who do you turn for help to?

Don’t catastrophise, don’t find holes in your plan, but observe how the change in circumstances shifts your priorities and focus.

Crystal green fortes (morgue edited)

Now you know what else you can do, are your ready to ditch your current attempts for the less travelled roads?

 

Yes, it may not work for you either, but there is only one way to find out.
Start with an easy method, or pick one that suits your best.
Give it a fair go. Think of all the potential benefits.

Wanna clearer vision now? Sharper focus? Wanna find a new purpose in life, or make the next breakthrough discovery?

Dump what is not working for you. Put on those funny washing-up gloves, or go for a long walk. Indulge yourself in the worst-case scenario thinking. Write it all down and look at it from above.

 

Your sharpest vision ever is waiting for you. Can you see it clearly now?