As Jon Kabat-Zinn says, one of the ways to have more time is to take some of it for yourself.  And, as we start the New Year, now is a good time to set the intention to take more time for mindfulness. Some people call it self-care, I call it a necessity.

Taking “time” for mindfulness might sound like an oxymoron.  But, unless you are already an enlightened being who dwells only in the present and without judgment, you might want to consider being inspired to take time to practice mindfulness by a few of my suggestions below.

TED Talks on Meditation

• All it takes it 10 mindful minutes. This talk by Andy Puddicombe, co-founder of Headspace, is fun and accessible.  As he puts it, all it takes is 10 minutes to refresh your mind and be more ready for what comes next (no need for incense or sitting in uncomfortable positions required).
• The habits of happiness. This talk by Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard, named the happiest man in the world, will inspire you to take control of your happiness in the New Year. Mathieu even has a wonderful book calledHappiness I would highly recommend.
• The space between self-esteem and self compassion. This talk by psychologist and “self compassion evangelist” Kristen Neff is a much needed balm for our critical minds. She is at the forefront of the movement to help us be nicer to ourselves.
• How meditation can reshape our brains. This talk by neuroscientist Sara Lazar will teach about her research that demonstrates the positive changes you can make by taking time to meditate, including improving our memory and making us more empathetic, compassionate, and resilient under stress.
• You’re already awesome. Just get out of your own way! This talk by Judson Brewer MD, Ph.D., might help you take even more time for yourself—especially to do things that make you really happy!

Do Meditation and Yoga at Work

Large corporations and universities are all jumping on board. Look at the offerings of your workplace wellness program and see what kind of offering for meditation and yoga you have available to you.  Instead of sitting all day getting stressed out, take a mindfulness break. If your workplace doesn’t have any formal offering, you can create your own by using my audio and video recordings in your office. Taking a break from the grind will help you return to work with much less strain and far more productivity.

Download a Meditation App

While our technology may be driving us crazy, it can also come to our assistance.Meditation apps like Headspace, Insight Timer, and Mindfulness Bell can help you make time to cultivate a day-to-day meditation practice.

Remember, taking a little time for yourself every day is extremely useful to your physical and psychological well-being. Make 2015 the year for mindfulness and the year to make your awesome self even better!