Two Mindfulness Techniques For People Who Can't Sit Still, From A Meditation Icon

Mindfulness can feel a little daunting for some. While there is really no "right" way to do it, many people may brush off the practice, saying something along the lines of "I just can't sit still." But mindfulness doesn't have to be difficult or require a huge investment of time. Take it from Sharon Salzberg, a world-renowned meditation teacher, founder of the Insight Meditation Society, and New York Times bestselling author.

"The mind is powerful—you can use the same tools no matter the circumstances," she tells me on this episode of the mindbodygreen podcast. 

Here's where your familiar practices come into play: Salzberg defines "formal mindfulness" as those dedicated periods of stilling your mind. Whether it's five, 10, or 15 minutes of practice, you're consciously taking time out of your day to sit down for a mindfulness session. 

But even though Salzberg deems it "formal," it's not so high-stakes: Sometimes, all it takes is a bit of breathwork. "In states of high anxiety, a lot of research shows the effectiveness of just having your 'out breath' longer than your 'in breath,'" she notes. That said, formal meditation doesn't have to be so fancy; you can switch it up with different counts, even holding in your inhales for a beat to spice up your practice. The core message is just to exhale longer than you inhale: "Your parasympathetic nervous system will be more pronounced, which will cool out your whole being," Salzberg adds.

On the other hand, Salzberg recognizes the importance of informal meditation. She deems them as "short moments, many times," as they might not last very long, but they'll add up to a pretty substantial amount at the end of the day. If taking five to 10 minutes out of your day to meditate sounds a little daunting, this strain of mindfulness may be perfect for you.

In terms of which practice is better than the other, it entirely depends on which one you'll actually do. "I have a bias toward those dedicated periods because I usually forget during the day unless I have that pattern," Salzberg mentions. But if mini, informal moments is more your style, feel free to use them to your advantage. "Just choose a structure that works for you," Salzberg adds, "whatever is actually going to be doable, and do it."