Since I was 16 I have made it a point to spend time every day in meditation. (Call it meditation, prayer, mindfulness or contemplation, depending on your preference.) And I can say, without a doubt, that it is this habit that gives me the most peace and inner tranquility. On days when I skip these moments of silent contemplation, I am much more anxious, distracted, and lacking in joy. At this point, I see my time set aside for daily meditation an essential - as important as eating three meals a day, sleeping close to 8 hours, drinking a good amount of water, and working out.

Six Hacks to Start Meditating Daily:

One:: Start small.

You can’t go from 0 minutes a day to an hour just by pure force of will. And if you can in the beginning it isn’t sustainable in the long run. I always recommend people start with 10 minutes of meditation. As you form the habit and that becomes easier you can increase the amount of time you spend. I do two 30-minute periods of meditation every day, and find that is the best recipe for who I am and what I need.

Two:: Get it done in the first half of the day.

Despite my night owl tendencies, I can fully admit that my head is more focused when I get it done in the first half of the day. I like to do it after my first cup of coffee and after getting ready for the day, but before I walk out the door or hunker down to get things done. Your head is usually clearer, you are more focused and less distracted by the day’s events.

Three:: Cultivate silence.

I know this is really really hard in this day and age, but it is essential to getting the most out of your time of contemplation. If we have music, even softly, in the background our mind won’t be able to totally focus. If we have our phone buzzing or lighting up with notifications we won’t be able to focus. If we have people demanding our attention, we won’t be able to focus. Create silence. I put my phone into airplane mode so that I won’t get distracted while trying to meditate.

Four:: Keep at it.

There will be days when you rock and days you fail. But failing to do it, or feeling like you are getting nothing out of it, aren’t reasons to give up. Make it a daily habit, and I swear you will see and feel the results. Consistency is the key even after the motivation falls away.

Five:: Bring a notebook.

It can be really helpful to jot down some key points, revelations, ideas, goals, or resolutions from this time of silent meditation. We can make great plans for the future or decisions but if we aren’t writing them down and making them actionable they aren’t going to help. I have a page called ‘Eurekas’ which are key ideas or revelations that I want to revisit from time to time. I also have a page that works chronologically through my days where I write down the smaller stuff.

Six:: Location and posture matter.

Yes, you can technically meditate anywhere. I have meditated while stuck in traffic, while walking in nature, while resting in bed. But the best, most effective times of meditation will be some place that is calm and peaceful. Some place you feel relaxed and not rushed. Some place that lifts the heart and soul. Some place that rests the mind. Also, I’ve found it’s essential to be comfortable without being too relaxed that you fall asleep.

You might be thinking this is all well and good. I can do these things to start meditating daily. I can cultivate silence in the morning while sitting in a restful spot with a notebook by my side and my phone far away, but what happens after that? What do I do?

I recommend starting with a look at your day. What’s on the agenda? What do you hope to accomplish? Where will you struggle and how will you work through that? How will your work and the way you work make you a better person today than yesterday? What’s one thing you can do better today than you did yesterday? I usually spend the first 5 minutes of my 30 minutes praying about these questions and trying to determine what God is calling me to do.

Once that is a habit you can move on to bigger things - what is my passion and purpose in life? How am I serving those around me? Who am I to God and who is God to me? What are my strengths and how can I use them for the good? What are my weaknesses and how can I overcome them? Am I living my best life? Who do I need to forgive? How do I determine my own worth? etc.. etc…