If you’ve been following this blog for some time, then no doubt you already know that meditation can do so many wonderful things to improve your health and your happiness, but there is one catch: You actually have to do it, and you have to be consistent. There’s nothing wrong with only meditating once per week, or whenever you can squeeze it into your busy life, but if you really want to reap the benefits, you should be practicing for at least 15 to 20 minutes per day.

Establishing a daily meditation routine is a commitment, and like all commitments, you might find it hard to stick to. Here are some tips for sticking to a daily meditation routine:

1.) Start first thing in the morning. It becomes easier and easier to procrastinate as the day progresses. By the time you get home from work and finish your other daily tasks, you’re tired, lacking motivation, and all you want to do is be lazy, which is exactly when it is the easiest to blow things off. Also, meditating early in the morning will help you wake up and give you extra energy to get through the day, so you can avoid the mid-afternoon coffee break and energy drinks.

2.) Don’t worry about being “good” at meditation. Meditation is a technique that can be developed, but it’s not really a skill in the same way that playing the piano or learning computer programming is. Sure, it can seem difficult at first, and it can get easier with time and practice, but you’re never in a position where you can judge yourself and say, “I’m the best meditator.” If you focus on being “good” at meditating, then you might come to the conclusion that you are “bad” at meditating, and then you will lose focus and motivation.

3.) Practice meditation in conjunction with another activity. For example, you can practice meditation with yoga, or you can practice walking meditation. That way, you are using your net zero source energy: exercising your mind and body at the same time, while generating the same amount of energy as used. If you attach meditation to another activity, you’ll be more likely to do it every day, because if you don’t, you will be neglecting two daily routines instead of just one. Find a meditation partner. You can find a partner to get together with each day to meditate, or you can both agree to do it on your own time. Either way, you will have someone to keep you committed and vice versa.

4.) Maintain a realistic outlook. Don’t think that one week of meditation, or even one month, is going to transform you into an entirely new person. When research scientists conduct studies on meditation, they typically expect their participants to take up meditation for at least eight weeks before measurable results are likely to occur. Becoming the master of your own mind is a life-long pursuit; it doesn’t happen over night. If you expect too much, too quickly, you will become frustrated and give up.

Note: Specifically, with regards to medical issues, always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the Web site.