Our teams at Technalink are encouraged to embrace the balance of life, and to prioritize self-care in order to take the best possible care of their own well-being. Both exercise and meditation are big parts of this. Exercise and meditation, both practices alone, are well documented to ease anxiety, better emotional health, and relieve stress in a very real and concrete way. When used together, you get the maximum benefit from both.
In a world where balance can be hard to find, and routine a welcome solution for juggling the hustle and bustle of life, which should come first – exercise or meditation? In The OM Factor, now on audiobook, balance is a theme for successful women and compassionate leadership; how to achieve it, how to keep it, and how to embrace it. There are pros and cons to meditation before exercise, and exercise before meditation:
- Meditation before exercise – Meditation can be an energizing and clarifying practice. Especially when using clarifying mala prayer beads, it can leave you feeling inspired to do your best no matter how you’re filling a day. For this reason, some may find meditation before exercise most beneficial. They prepare for their workout using mindfulness and meditation, getting in better touch with their bodies and priming their focus to put forth their best effort.
- Exercise before meditation – For those that feel a lot of stress and anxiety, focus can be hard to find while meditating. You’ll find yourself trying to focus on the breath, but you just can’t help but ruminate on the anxiety symptoms instead. In situations such as these, exercise before meditation may be better for you. Exercise helps to burn off stress hormones like cortisol, leaving you feeling calmer and more ready for focus once your workout is through. When you finally get to your meditation session, you can use this as a cool-down period for your body and your mind.
It’s important to note that you don’t have to stick with one routine. On days where focus is primed, but you want to expand your inspiration and ability in your workout, starting off with meditation may be best. During those times when anxiety and stress are high, you will likely find working out before meditation yields the best results. Your sessions can be long or short, but as long as they’re working together, you’re working toward your best self.
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