Meditation for Procrastination, What the Latest Research Reveals
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There is growing evidence that meditation can help with procrastination and lack of productivity.
This ancient practice is gaining popularity, and science is beginning to take a closer look at some of the amazing effects of meditation on the human brain, and on mental and physical health.
If you want to take charge of your life and are wondering whether meditation can help with your procrastination and lack of productivity, you’re in the right place.
You’ll learn about meditation, its health benefits for your body and mind, and the science behind its anti-procrastination effects.
I will also provide my personal experience regarding the practice of meditation for procrastination and an easy step-by-step routine to start your meditation journey.
Keep reading.
Table of Contents
So, what is meditation?
Meditation is a practice in which you use mental and/or physical techniques to help you focus and clear your mind.
It usually consists of relaxing the body in a certain position and focusing your mind on your breath, a mantra, or an image.
When you meditate, you may be able to get rid of the emotional burden that accumulates during the day and adds to your tension. You gain mental clarity and new perspectives on yourself and your surroundings.
When you practice meditation, you may appear to be just relaxing, breathing deeply, or repeating a sound or a phrase, but within your brain, it is a different story.
Recent studies using modern imaging tools have shown that meditation has distinct and favorable effects on the brain, and it is more than just relaxing or napping.
Note
Meditation should not be confused with hypnosis. Meditation is about clearing your mind and getting into a deep state of relaxation. Hypnosis, on the other hand, is more about treating specific problems, such as phobias and addictions.
More on hypnosis and its benefits for procrastination here.
Why is meditation gaining popularity ?
Although the practice of meditation has been around for thousands of years, it is only during the last several decades that contemporary science has begun to thoroughly examine the benefits and effects of meditation.
Technology has enabled some of the major advancements in science’s knowledge of meditation.
There is a growing body of research showing that meditation can help with a wide range of health conditions, such as stress, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, insomnia, etc.
Researchers are still learning about the effects and benefits of meditation on the body and the brain.
The benefits of meditation
There is mounting evidence showing the benefits of meditation on a multitude of physical and mental conditions.
Some effects that you may experience when meditating regularly include:
- Decreased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression,
- Enhanced mental clarity and capacity to focus and solve problems,
- Greater ability to adapt and manage emotions (emotional regulation is very important for overcoming procrastination),
- Being more mindful and connected to the present moment (especially when practicing mindfulness meditation),
- Enhanced creativity and imagination.
People who regularly practice meditation are shown to have healthier brains and are less likely to experience age-related cognitive decline. Additionally, they are better able to manage and process unpleasant emotions like fear, anger, and sadness.
The benefits of improving your mental health frequently result in gains in your physical health, including better sleep, lower blood pressure, and improved heart health, among other health benefits.
Studies suggest that meditation may help people manage symptoms of:
- Asthma
- Cancer
- Chronic pain
- Depression
- Heart condition
- Elevated blood pressure
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Tension headaches
It is easy to understand why meditation may help with these conditions, as stress is a known risk factor that can make these symptoms worse.
By lowering stress and anxiety levels, meditation may in fact help a wide range of symptoms.
The effects of meditation on the brain:
Studies have shown that the brains of people who meditate regularly change in certain ways, such as having more dense brain tissue and stronger connections between brain cells.
There is evidence that meditation thickens the prefrontal cortex, which controls brain functions such as awareness, attention, and decision-making.
In short, meditation affects brain regions that regulate or control your ability to think and focus, as well as your capacity for processing emotions.
According to research, experienced meditators between the ages of 40 and 50 have an equivalent amount of gray matter to that of individuals aged between 20 and 30. The frontal brain health was preserved in the older group.
So, with just a few minutes of meditation a day, you may significantly alter your brain and change the density of gray matter while also creating and strengthening new and stronger connections between neurons.
Therefore, by enhancing parts of your brain responsible for self-control and emotion regulation, Meditation can be a powerful tool to help our fellow procrastinators overcome their bad habits and impulsive behaviors.
What does research say about meditation and procrastination?
Although growing scientific evidence points to the health benefits of meditation, particularly mindfulness meditation, researchers think it is still too early to draw any firm judgments about such benefits.
Mindfulness meditation is shown to improve focus and mindfulness. It is based on relaxing and focusing on one’s own breathing or certain mental images or your surroundings while being in the present and accepting thoughts and emotions in a non-judgmental manner.
Many studies have been done to assess the connection between meditation and procrastination.
- A 2016 study done on students showed that participants who are experienced in meditation show very low levels of procrastination, suggesting that the practice of meditation may lead to a decrease in procrastination behavior.
- A 2019 Chinese study examining the relationship between mindfulness and procrastination in 339 college students also found an inverse relationship between mindfulness and procrastination.
- A 2020 study showed that individuals participating in mindfulness exercise were less likely to procrastinate than those who did not take part in the exercise.
- Other studies using neuroimaging techniques have shown that meditation improves connectivity in brain regions related to self-regulation and have concluded that meditation helps improve attention and self-regulation more than other relaxation techniques.
Research reveals that meditation, particularly mindfulness meditation, is associated with lower levels of procrastination and may be a powerful tool to improve attention and self-regulation, which in turn may help overcome the tendency to procrastinate.
How to meditate (the 5-minute meditation for productivity)
Even though there are many types of meditation and ways to do them, a good place to start is with basic mindfulness meditation. This is the type of meditation I have been personally practicing for years.
Follow these steps:
Settle in
Find a quiet space.
Sit up straight on the floor, on a cushion or on a chair. Your back straight but not rigid. You can use a pillow to support your back.
Place your hands on the tops of your knees or your lap.
Breathe mindfully
Close your eyes & relax your whole body.
Inhale and exhale slowly and deeply.
Feel your abdomen expand and contract.
Sense your chest rise and fall.
Be aware of the cool air entering your lungs and the warm air exiting through your nose.
Do not try to change the rhythm of your breath; just follow the breath’s natural flow.
Maintain your focus
Keep focusing on your breathing.
You will inevitably be distracted by intrusive thoughts and emotions. This is normal.
Do not judge these thoughts. Do not try to suppress them.
Just observe them passing by, then bring your attention back to your breathing.
If you feel comfortable doing so, you can also count your breaths.
Open your eyes
When your session is over, open your eyes, take a deep breath, and stretch gently.
Et voila! You have finished your meditation session.
Note
The greatest benefits will come from regular practice. Although you may start with as little as 5 minutes daily, many experts frequently advise at least 20 minutes per day.
A 2018 study found that meditating regularly for 8 weeks for just 13 minutes a day was enough to benefit from your practice.
My experience with guided meditation for procrastination
When I first started meditation to overcome procrastination and improve my productivity and overall health, I was very prone to mind wandering and could hardly focus on my breath or anything else for that matter.
I could not sustain my attention for a few seconds without being caught in a myriad of thoughts and emotions.
But over time, I noticed that my attention span had increased and I was able to sustain the meditative state for longer periods.
Regarding the benefits:
- I noticed better mental clarity and ability to focus and be in the here and now. This mental clarity and focus allowed me to be more efficient at the tasks I performed.
- I was also have less prone to impulsivity and tendency to procrastinate, because my mental clarity gave me a new insight on the priorities in my life and the importance of what I should do.
- I also gained control over my racing thoughts. It feels like my roller-coaster mind is slowing down, allowing me to focus on what matters most in my life.
Although meditation can be done by anyone and with little to no tools, it helped me immensely when I first started with guided meditation.
My first journey started with the very popular app “Headspace“, to which I would like to give credit because it allowed me to really get into the practice of meditation and made it easier for me through progressive, clear, and timely steps.
I would advise you to try it, as it helps you keep track of your progress and makes it less likely to procrastinate on meditating. It incentivizes you to keep going.
Note of caution
A mistake I made when beginning my meditation routine was to have high expectations. The truth is that developing a habit that can improve your productivity and overall mental and physical well-being requires time and effort. It is a marathon, not a sprint.
Expecting meditation to fix all your issues is unrealistic. Treat it as a component of your self-help regimen that contributes to making you feel better and being more productive.
Takeaways
Meditation is a practice that allows you to focus and clear your mind by using mental and/or physical techniques. Usually, this means putting your body in a relaxed state and focusing on your breath or a mantra.
An increasing number of studies are demonstrating the benefits of meditation for a variety of conditions, including anxiety, stress and depression.
Numerous studies have shown that habitual meditators’ brains exhibit peculiar changes, including denser brain tissue and more connections between brain cells.
Research shows that mindfulness meditation is linked to decreased levels of procrastination and may be a potent strategy for enhancing attention and self-regulation, which in turn may help tremendously with procrastination.
For those who want to start meditation for procrastination, regular practice usually produces the biggest benefits. Many experts recommend at least 20 minutes each day, even though you can start with as little as 5 minutes a day.
Procrastinators struggling to maintain a new meditation routine may find guided meditation very helpful to keep practicing meditation.
So, fellow procrastinators out there, do you currently meditate or are you planning to start?
Tell us in the comment section.
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About the author
My name is Sam David. I am the founder of "Proactivity Lab," a website that provides comprehensive strategies and resources for understanding and overcoming procrastination.
The website's resources are the culmination of more than 20 years of research and experience, during which I embarked on a long and gruelling journey of study and self-discovery.
Being a former procrastinator myself, it took me years of investigation and numerous trials and errors to gain a clear understanding of the underlying causes of procrastination and the most effective and scientifically supported strategies to permanently conquer the vicious cycle of procrastination.
I would like to share my knowledge with you, for free.
