THERE WAS A TIME, early in my self-development journey, when my morning routine consisted of meditation, journaling, exercise, cold plunge, breathwork, yoga, and reading — all of which happened before most people hit the snooze button on their alarm. 

At first, this felt great. I had radically redesigned the structure of my day, and I had more energy, improved focus, and a feeling of accomplishment.

And then reality set in. 

Enjoyment quickly turned into resentment. I’d start my day with meditation, and my thoughts would immediately fixate on all the things I still had to do. I was no longer present, and the joy was sucked out of it. I gave up.

Optimizing for everything is the best way to guarantee you do nothing well. 

Perhaps you can relate. 

If you are new to meditation and want to incorporate it into your life, or an experienced meditator who is finding your practice to be stale, I offer some advice, given from the perspective of someone who has been there, felt the need to do more, and in an attempt to answer that call, fell flat on their face. 

I’ve been meditating for over a decade, and my routine has evolved from a few minutes to a few hours and everything in between. 

There’s an allure to the idea of long, deep meditation sessions where nirvana strikes us and we rest blissfully in that state… 

Then the kids burst in demanding breakfast, your dog is heard scratching the paint off the door begging for a walk, or the work report due later that day fills your mind, and you can’t even begin to settle. In other words, reality sets it. 

I still sit for long meditation sessions and advocate for people to go on retreats to deepen their practice, but these moments are meant to be a treat, scattered throughout the year. They’re often not realistic for the lay practitioner. Most of us need something practical and effective that can be sustained daily, amidst the hungry kids, barking dogs, and busy boardrooms. But what does that look like?

Short Times, Many Times

Short times, many times is Mingyur Rinpoche’s practice of bringing awareness into every moment; it’s the integration of meditation into your daily life. It can fit any schedule and can be done anytime and anywhere. It can be as simple as bringing a few seconds of your attention to the present moment, taking a few deep and focused breaths, or pausing before reacting to situations.

I know what you’re thinking. A short meditation as described is not as sexy as hearing about those long, white-knuckled, posture-destroying, will-bending ones that are common lore from the masters of the past — but the truth? It can be equally transformative.

Short times, many times is the best way I have found to meet each moment, no matter how difficult, with a renewed sense of clarity. It makes you more responsive and less reactive. Meditating short times many times forces you to practice in real-time with real life. It’s implementation at its best.

The true benefit of meditation practice is developing the ability to catch yourself in each moment, to wake up and become aware, and to pause when triggered. That brief space between action and reaction is the entire practice.

Did your coworker make yet another snarky comment aimed at you during a team meeting? Sit with that feeling, no matter how uncomfortable. Allow it to be there, settle, and eventually pass away. This doesn’t mean you take abuse or become a punching bag for people’s poor behavior. You can address that comment when the time is right.  

Short times, many times is the use of everything you experience as practice. Eventually, everything you experience becomes a way to deepen your awareness, love and compassion, and wisdom. 

Pain is sometimes inevitable, but suffering is optional. The initial sting of that comment is real and valid, but how you respond afterward is completely within your control and can cause further suffering to yourself and others.

So, how can you start implementing short times, many times into your life?

Make a conscious decision to pause throughout the day and notice how you feel. What sensations do you have? Is there tension in your body or chatter in your mind? Allow yourself to bring attention to it. Notice how you habitually respond to the moments in your life and begin to catch yourself ahead of time, becoming more present and intentional.

Rest your body and mind, become comfortable with discomfort, embrace the beauty in the mundane, and with time, you will discover that those seemingly uninteresting moments are actually the most precious parts of being human. Short times, many times, when practiced wholeheartedly, is a wonderful way to deepen your practice and take your meditation off the cushion and into each moment of your life.

Give it a try. It might just transform your life.

September 2025