I really mean it.
You should stop using meditation to improve your productivity. Seriously.
No, I’m not anti-meditation.
In fact, I try to meditate on a regular basis.
Let me explain what I mean. But first, I want to be clear about what meditation is.
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What Is Meditation?
Meditation comes from the Latin verb meditari, which means “to think, contemplate, devise, ponder.”
But, as we all know, sometimes words are used in society differently than their dictionary definitions intended.
And when it comes to mediation, there are many ways to do it.
The popularized version of meditation is where people sit criss-cross-applesauce with their hands in the OK sign while making an “om” sound. And sometimes people really do meditate that way.
But not always.
Simply put, meditating is all about slowing down, being still, and contemplating. It’s really about focusing on your breath.
As you breathe in, just imagine the air flowing into your nostrils and down into your lungs. Then as you breathe out, imagine the de-oxygenated air rushing out of the lungs and out of your mouth.
And just think about that process. Focus on your breath and nothing else can occupy your mind.
But here’s the big question: does meditation improve your productivity?
Does Meditation Help With Productivity?
Meditation gurus promise you big things.
Just search “meditation benefits” and you’ll see a plethora of possible ways meditating can improve your life.
More focus. Less stress. Better attention span.
But the most common benefit I see people promising is productivity.
So…can meditation make you a better musician by increasing your productivity?
Well, possibly.
There are potential benefits to meditation:
- May help with psychological distress, anxiety, depression, anger, and coping ability
- May, over time, help your brain better process information
- Studies suggest it may slow, stall, or even reverse aging effects in the brain
- May lower blood pressure
- It feels good to fill your lungs with air and get oxygen moving throughout your body
So if you had less anxiety, lower blood pressure, and an overall healthier brain, that probably would affect your music career in a positive way.
But I’m not arguing that meditation is bad for you. It obviously has some benefits.
Heck, I try to meditate whenever I can. It’s so relaxing.
What I’m saying is that we should stop meditating so that we’ll be more productive.
Why You Should Stop Meditating This Way
In one study, researchers looked at the brains of folks who were already meditating for years.
If I had to guess, the people in that study weren’t meditating because they wanted to increase their productivity. I’d bet they were meditating because it brought them a sense of fulfillment.
In other studies, the participants knew they were a part of an experiment. They were probably expecting meditation to do something positive, or at least something at all.
And I’m sure these studies had a control group and an experimental group. Any legitimate study has to.
But honestly, if you know you’re part of a study and the researcher asks you to meditate, you’re going to think that something good should come of it.
And meditating so you can benefit from meditating (like being more productive) is not really meditating.
Alan Watts, a spiritual teacher and philosopher (1915-1973), agrees with me.
“Meditation is the discovery that the point of life is always arrived at in the immediate moment,” he said.
“And therefore, if you meditate for an ulterior motive — that is to say, to improve your mind, to improve your character, to be more efficient in life — you’ve got your eye on the future and you are not meditating!”
Meditation is about being present.
If you meditate to improve your productivity, you’re vying for something in the future and you’re not really meditating.
So where does that leave us? How can we actually meditate properly?
For the fun of it. Meditate because you enjoy it.
Meditate for the same reason you’re a musician — because you love it, not to be the best at it.
Obviously, we all want to be the best at what we do. But that’s not why we make music.
We make music for the life-giving joy of it.
So yes, meditate. I highly recommend it.
But meditate because you enjoy it. Not because you’re trying to make yourself a better musician.
Stop using meditation to improve your productivity.
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