If you’re like me you’re probably working 15 hours a day on a variety of projects and routine tasks. If you’re under 25 you probably think that this can go on forever and since you’re not feeling tired at all you might be fooled into thinking that such a crazy schedule won’t tale its toll.

After a few years you’ll start feeling tired with no apparent reason, your concentration will break more often and your attention span will be shorter and shorter. This is particularly dangerous since it will eventually turn into severe depressions, lack of motivation and a continuous strand of procrastination.

The good news though is that there are a few things that you can do to get back on track or better yet, avoid the unpleasant effects altogether: nature walks, listening to music, polyphasic sleep or even downshifting. I’ve tried pretty much everything and eventually settled for what best works for me: meditation. More precisely, a form of Zen meditation.

I remember one time I was having a really tight deadline and I was sitting in front of the computer for hours and couldn’t get started, my fingers were just touching the keys on the keyboard yet I couldn’t write a single word in hours. I’ve shut down everything on my laptop except for a single webpage and my word editor. Still no luck and I was getting more and more impatient, couldn’t concentrate because I was getting even more stressed. I tried taking a nap and after waking up the same nasty feeling stopped me from getting any work done. So then I remembered that years ago, back when I was starting to practice wushu -  right before a seriously frightening match – I had a nervous breakdown and my master and I had a short session of tai chi. We meditated for about half an hour and after feeling more alive & motivated I managed to get into that match with my chin up. I lost the match, but I got out of it only with one serious injury, which was quite an achievement for me.

Back to my deadline: I said to myself that there’s nothing to lose so I’ve started to meditate, even though I only knew the basics. Matter of fact is that after half an hour I found the strength and motivation to get things done and meet the deadline with a smile on my face. Ever since that deadline I meditate almost daily. It’s amazing and almost unreal how clear everything gets once you properly clear your head.

Why is meditation the ideal form of relaxation? First of all it allows you to find balance and order while allowing your mind to freely wonder around. Second, it fully regenerates your work energy and replenishes your motivational reserves. But most importantly, meditation is the  simplest path to a clear and healthy mind.

I can’t say how or if it will work for you as well, but you can give it a shot. In today’s business and work environment you really need not so much a of a refuge but rather a weapon to deal with the surrounding environment.

Did you try meditation before? Are you using it or an alternate method? Let me know in the comments.