Meditation doesn’t require much. But it’s easiest to get started knowing these meditation basics:

What matters most is consistency.

Ideally, we meditate a few times a week or daily. But even completing one meditation can lead to a reduction in mind wandering. We’ll feel more and more benefits the more we practice. Research shows that 30 days of meditation reduces stress by a third and improves satisfaction with life.

It might be helpful to schedule meditation sessions like an exercise class or appointment. Or we could tack it onto an existing routine, like every time we shower or brush our teeth.

If we miss a day or more, it’s okay. We can simply pick up where we left off.

The best time to meditate is whenever we can.

It doesn’t matter when (or where) we meditate, so choose whatever time works best. Meditation could be nice to do first thing in the morning before our day begins or at night in bed. We could always meditate to reset ourselves before an appointment or after an errand. Anytime we feel overwhelmed, we can take a break and meditate instead of pushing through.

We only need a few minutes to meditate.

A short meditation can be five minutes or less. If we feel like that’s not
enough, a 10-minute meditation is great for beginners. Once we have a
consistent practice, we can slowly increase our time.

Be prepared for noisy distractions.

We don’t need perfect quiet to meditate. Total silence might be too
overwhelming in meditation for beginners. We become extra sensitive to every little sound when things are completely quiet.

Life is rarely ever quiet anyway. We can go into our meditation practice
expecting that noises will happen, whether it’s loud music from a neighbor, a dog barking in the street, a truck backing up, or sounds in another room at home. When noises happen, rather than becoming frustrated and focusing on the noise, “Why is my neighbor having a dance party right now?” or trying to tune it out, “I wish this music would stop,” we can notice our thought, let it go, and return to our breath.
We can always try earplugs, noise-canceling headphones or white-noise
machines.

Sit and dress however feels good.

As long as our back is straight, our neck and shoulders are relaxed, and our chin is slightly tucked, we can sit wherever we feel comfortable for the length of the meditation. We can sit on our couch, a dining or office chair, propped up by pillows on the bed, or on a cushion. Cross or uncross the arms and legs, whatever feels natural. Consider loosening any clothing that’s too restrictive, taking off our shoes, or removing any accessory we tend to fidget with.

There’s no right or wrong way to meditate.

If we have trouble meditating at first, that’s okay. It happens to all of us. Even if we find ourselves wondering if we’re meditating correctly, don’t forget, they’re just thoughts.