When we think of meditation, we often think of finding a quiet, secluded place, turning the lights down, and relaxing for half an hour or more. However, meditation does not need to be that time-consuming. Meditation is great for you if you have a high-stress job, or if you even just need a little time to yourself to calm down and refocus. The great thing about meditation is that it doesn't even have to take very long! All you need is just a few minutes alone, and preferably quiet, and you can find yourself de-stressed in no time. Mantra Meditation Mantra meditation is a great meditation practice that can be done very quickly and while you are at work or doing something else. Mantra meditation is performed by selecting a calming word or phrase and silently repeating it to yourself over and over again. This calming word is designed to help you reduce distracting thoughts and focus on the word or words you are repeating, causing you to believe them with your entire body, mind, and soul. Of course, you may choose your own mantra, but some people like to use words from Hindu Mythology, because that is where the practice of meditation started. However, using mantras from your native language works just as well. It is best to choose words that are empowering, and that also have soothing sounds. Mindfulness Meditation Mindfulness meditation is a type of meditation designed to bring you into a deep focus, tuning out the rest of the world around you. The idea behind this is to use extreme focus while doing the task at hand. In this way, this is a really great meditation technique to use while you are at work, because it not only refocuses your mind, but it can also increase productivity and reduces distraction. To do this type of meditation, all you need to do is shut everything else out, and use the most intense focus to complete the task at hand. Think about what you are doing while you are doing it, rather than thinking about what you need to do next. For example, think, "I am sharpening my pencil. I am done sharpening my pencil. I am walking back to my seat," etc. This will help you focus and calm your mind by reducing the stress of being overwhelmed by what needs to get done during the day. Relaxation Techniques Relaxation techniques are great for quick and easy meditation. Just taking a second to breathe deeply can be extremely helpful when you are stressed to the max. You can also focus all of your energy on relaxing each and every muscle of your body. You can do this by clenching specific muscles, and feeling them work for you, and then breathing into each muscle to relax it. This can help release tension, even if you are not sure where the tension is coming from, because it helps you pinpoint the tension and relax it. This is a perfect exercise for the workplace, because it is a silent activity that does not take much space. It can also help increase productivity; when you are relaxed, you are more likely to get more work done. Another simple relaxation technique you can do is to drink a hot cup of tea - preferably decaf. Just the sensation of steeping the tea and heating the water can be a calming mechanism, but choosing a particularly relaxing tea, such as chamomile, can help calm you down and bring you back to the task at hand.