Check out Gerardo's smile. He had heard about the many benefits of mindfulness practice, but he never tried it "because the influencers say you should do it for 30 or 45 minutes."
I was so glad he popped in for a chat at Swift Transportation Driver Appreciation Week... and a 6-minute guided meditation, because that is a common mindfulness myth! In fact, he found value and inspiration in a short practice, and now recognizes it's much more accessible than he thought.
There is no minimum amount of time required for meditation. Any and all time is helpful. It can be a formal, seated, guided meditation like the one Gerardo tried, or it can be a 20-second, informal practice like focusing on how your feet feel on the ground, or taking a few deep breaths.
While there's no magic number, here's an interesting data point. One study found that a 13-minute, daily, guided meditation, for 8 weeks, "decreased negative mood state and enhanced attention, working memory, and recognition memory as well as decreased anxiety."
It's kind of like physical activity that way. Every little bit counts. Right? Some is always better than none.
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