My house is a pretty quiet place most of the time, so I don’t have too much trouble finding a quiet corner to sit and meditate for 10 minutes. It also helps that I work from home, so I’m by myself for much of the day. Aside from the animals and the occasional door-to-door salesman or delivery, I don’t have many distractions to contend with. But, I know my situation is unique and I’m pretty lucky to have some alone time. Most of my friends have very busy and bustling households and they find it difficult to get that 10 minutes without distraction. One friend in particular comes to mind. She’s a medical assistant and ended up fostering a patient’s four children when the patient had to leave the country unexpectedly. Yes, she does have a big heart, but she also has a busy home.
Here are some tips for finding a quiet space for meditation:
- Make sure everyone in the house knows not to disturb you. If you have young children who can’t understand this, make sure to meditate when your spouse or someone else is home, so they can care for the children during this time. It’s only ten minutes. Surely, someone can ward off any distractions.
- Find the quietest room in your house and set a little area that is designated for meditation. Always use the same room and close the door when you meditate. This way, people will know not to disturb you.
- Meditate at the same time every day. If your household knows that you wake up at 5 a.m. to get your daily meditation in every day, they’ll learn to respect your privacy during that time.
- If all else fails, put up a sign: “Meditating: Do not disturb!” If you get a distraction (one that isn’t an emergency) pretend you don’t hear the person. They won’t continue interrupting you if they don’t ever get a response.
- Invite others to meditate with you. They may enjoy it, but best of all, you’ll all have some quiet time. It may take some getting used to for everyone, so allow an adjustment period, but it can really be worth it.
