Destress in the New Year

When business and life seem too hectic, slow down and manage your stress.

Your receptionist called in sick. After handling a minor patient emergency, you have a backup of appointments. The printer is on the fritz, the phone is buzzing and it is looking like an actual lunch break isn’t in the cards today.

Indeed, life as a business owner and a veterinarian is stressful. You can’t eliminate, or even control, the factors that cause one day to be a complete mess. But you can control your ability to cope with them.

One of the ways a growing number of people are managing those stresses is through meditation, a classic technique with a 2,600-plus year history. At its most basic, meditation is a practice of resting the mind and focusing inward, either with a guide or on your own. Forms include mantra, Vipassana, transcendental meditation and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, some of which include breathing exercises as part of the practice.

For many people, meditation may be intimidating in the beginning. Certainly, the idea of anything referred to as a “practice” can seem like work, and if you’re stressed out and overworked, finding a few minutes of quiet to do nothing but “be still” might seem impossible.

Here are four tips for getting started from Liz Veyhl, founder of Small World Yoga, a nonprofit in Nashville, Tenn.:

1. Pick a time of day. Veyhl tries to meditate each morning, before the day gets away from her. But if it doesn’t happen, she doesn’t beat herself up; she just fits it in later.

2. Choose the right place. A quiet space with somewhere comfortable to sit is crucial. Choose one where you won’t be interrupted, such as your bedroom in the morning, your office at lunch, or even sitting in your car in the parking lot before work. Sitting in a chair is fine; you don’t need to be cross-legged on a floor.

3. Start small. If you haven’t meditated before, you may feel antsy at the idea of 10 minutes of stillness and focused thought. The mind will wander (that’s part of the process), so most experts suggest you start small. Try for three to five minutes. Focus on establishing a routine of daily meditation, rather than on the number of minutes on the timer.

4. Get help. During guided meditation, a narrator walks you through mental exercises to help focus your mind and refocus when it wanders. If your neighborhood yoga classes include meditation, your teacher may direct you through this method. At home, try an app or online resource.