How many times have you said, “There just isn’t enough time in the day!” or “I am always rushing”? You know what the answer is? Getting up earlier—or so they say. I tried it, and I struggled. Getting out of bed is literally the hardest part of my day. Me and sleep—well, we like each other… A LOT! But many of us need more time every day to get stuff done. We now live in this fast-paced world where we pile more and more expectations on ourselves, only to feel deflated if we don’t deliver.
Isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic showed me that I do more than what is necessary. It was lovely just to go to work and then go straight home. Simple. No gym, no extracurricular activities, no visiting people, nothing. Pure bliss. Disclaimer: I am an introvert. But I also love education, and I love ticking boxes and getting stuff done. Now that things are pretty much back in full swing, I’m finding myself unable to tick off all the tasks I set for myself. Self-inflicted, I know.
Apparently, getting up early is what successful people do. Or maybe they’re just so stressed they can’t sleep?? Either way, if you’re in need of more time in your day, it sounds like a feasible thing to try. But last time I gave it a go, I didn’t last.
It all sounded fabulous in theory. Robin Sharma shared his famous 20/20/20 morning ritual—20 minutes of exercise, 20 minutes of reading, and 20 minutes of journaling or meditation—in his book The 5am Club. Mel Robbins tried to help me actually get out of bed in the morning with her 5-4-3-2-1 method from her book The 5 Second Rule. She says as soon as that alarm goes off, count backward from 5 to 1 and then immediately get up. Easy! (Insert eye-roll emoji here.)
Practice makes perfect. Robin Sharma says successful people make time for themselves in the morning by getting up at 5am to exercise and self-reflect. He says, “Your morning routine is the engine for dazzlingly great days. Commit to nailing it.” I tried and failed. I stayed in bed.
But you know what works for me? Vedic Meditation. It delivers results without too much effort. Tick. It’s simple: recite a mantra to yourself twice a day for 20 minutes. Vedic Meditation takes you beyond thought—and that is where the magic is. Where you let go of stresses. Sometimes the release of stress is uncomfortable—but necessary.
Thousands of people around the world use Vedic or Transcendental Meditation. Not only does it reduce stress, but it also expands consciousness to allow for more productivity and creativity. It reduces anxiety and improves sleep—both of which are linked to disease when neglected.
Despite this technique originating in India and being around for over 5,000 years, it’s now being embraced by Westerners because of its amazing benefits for navigating our busy, modern world full of distractions.
