Meditation is now being more widely recognized for its many benefits, helping individuals to deal with stress, anxiety, and depression. In fact, meditation can improve general overall health. Once learned, meditation can be an enjoyable part of your daily schedule. However, a bit of preparation can help you to prepare your mind for the process and allow you to get into a deep state, for a longer period of time, reaping greater benefits in the process.

1. Clean Your Meditation Area

Spend a little time cleaning and preparing your meditation space. The area should be away from the usual traffic patterns in your home. It’s helpful to have a door or partition to separate you from other activities that are going on. Ensure that your area is swept or vacuumed, dusted, and ready. Remove clutter and arrange books and other items into a more organized state. This can help you put your mind into a more relaxed, reflective frame of mind. When the area is clean that is one less thing you have to worry about during your meditation session.

2. Make Yourself Physically Comfortable

To prevent distractions while you are meditating, you should take care of your physical needs before your session. Place a comfortable cushion or chair in your meditation area. Put on comfortable clothing that doesn’t constrict your body or cause itchiness. Have a small snack and drink some water. Go to the bathroom. Many people swear by a natural supplement called ashwagandha, which helps to reduce stress and clarify thinking. The best ashwagandha supplements are organic and carefully formulated to the highest standards. Additionally, keep in mind the lighting and temperature of the room. The more you can do to make yourself comfortable, the more you will eliminate distractions during this peaceful time.

3. Turn Off the Phone, TV, and Music

Provide a quiet environment for your meditation by turning off your phone and any other background noise, such as the TV or music players. Close the window if you live in an area with significant traffic or outside noise. A quieter environment helps to settle the mind, facilitating the meditative state and reduces distractions that can disrupt effective meditation. If you’re usually glued to your phone, it can be helpful to turn it off and put it in a different room to eliminate the distraction altogether.

4. Read an Inspiring Passage

Another way to help you achieve a more meditative state of mind is to first read a short passage of your favorite inspiring text. This can be a passage from a book, a work of poetry, religious reading or whatever speaks to you in a spiritual way, to help target your mind into a higher state of consciousness. There are several meditation magazines or email newsletters you can subscribe to that will give you daily tips on meditation and relaxing your mind.

Learning to deal with distractions is a standard process of learning to meditate effectively. However, with regular practice, you will find that distractions bother you less often. Eventually, you will be able to simply bring your mind back onto your meditation, focus, and continue with greater effectiveness.