By practicing meditation techniques, students can learn to quiet their minds and improve their ability to concentrate, which can ultimately lead to increased productivity. Check out meditation techniques that can help students achieve a flow state, think clearly, and stay focused.
We are navigating a highly stressful environment with everything going around in the world. School and college students seem to find little time to breathe fresh air and smell the roses. They usually have more to handle than people in other fields. In today’s busy world, students struggle with the demands of school as well as their personal life. They often feel overwhelmed. External factors like social media, peer pressure, and family issues only make things worse. As a result, many students experience stress, anxiety, and sleep deprivation. This can negatively impact their health, grades, relationships, and exuberance. There is little we can do to change things, but with the gift of meditation, we can empower future generations to cope with life’s adversities.
“Meditation has been practised since the beginning of mankind, and its health benefits are well documented. This ancient practice calms the body and mind, relieves stress, and promotes brain function. Recent research suggests that meditation should be part of the academic curriculum. Students who meditate do better in school and can cope with academic stress more effectively. Studies have shown that meditation can increase IQ levels, improve mental function, and improve academic performance,” says, Raman Mittal, meditation enthusiast and co-founder Idanim.
He further says, “Studies conducted on more than 1,800 students worldwide have found that meditation improves students’ mental health and academic and social skills. Adolescents who were taught meditation in school reported being able to concentrate more on their work. They also felt more confident and had a more positive outlook on life. Meditation has been shown to promote greater self-identity and higher optimism”
A few meditation techniques that can help one achieve a flow state, think clearly and stays focused.
1. Counting breaths
It is one of the best meditations to reduce anxiety and get better sleep, and it is great for beginners! It is also one of the easiest ways to meditate, and you can do it anywhere. To do this, count your breaths at the end of every exhale until you arrive at 10. Once you’re at 10, start over again. Even though it is basic, you may still find this challenging as a beginner. But as you progress, you will see how your mental concentration will improve, and it is also a great meditation technique to induce sleep.
2. Mindfulness meditation
This meditation is effective for finding focus and releasing stress. Mindfulness with breathing involves paying close attention to your breath and observing your feelings, sensations, and thoughts without judging them. Several studies have shown how mindfulness is highly beneficial in improving your focus. This helps you become less impulsive with your reactions.
3. Loving-kindness or metta meditation
Metta meditation focuses on letting go of anger and frustration, increasing compassion and positivity. It is also a great meditation for solving personal conflicts. Contrary to popular belief that meditation is mostly sitting in silence and working on your breathing techniques, loving-kindness meditation is an active form in which you focus more on sending good thoughts and goodwill. Positive thoughts help improve the self-confidence and productivity needed for young minds.
4. Mantra meditation
This meditation helps foster manifestation, gratitude, and self-love. Mantra is a useful tool to reconnect and find peace within. A mantra is a sentence that you repeat over and over again. It is rooted in the yoga tradition, but you can also pick the mantra that suits your intention. You can start with a fundamental mantra of ” Soham” or even “OM” to get into the practice. These affirmations go a long way in boosting focus and unlocking immense psychological potential for better focus in students.
5. Body scan meditation
It helps in pain management, grounding, and reducing stress. This form of meditation focuses on every physical sensation in your body that requires you to give attention to every inch of your body. It lets you be aware of yourself and how you feel in your body, which relates to your emotional state. Growing up under stress can be hugely detrimental to personality building in the formative years. So, body scan meditation is one of the best techniques to help overcome pain and stress allowing youngsters to feel at ease with themselves and sleep better for increased focus.
“Genuine meditation practices nurture our innate potential for happiness, contentment and awareness. Clear and progressive instructions are essential for successful practice. By creating space in your mind, meditation instils a renewed confidence in yourself and a more balanced view of life. As you develop a more confident approach towards your student life, pause and reflect from time to time. And if you find yourself struggling initially, always remember that (meditation) practice makes one perfect,” conclude Raman Mittal.
