How often (and how long) should I meditate?

TL;DR (a few quick takeaways):

• 💫 Frequency > duration. Aim for a little each day.

• 🪥 Think daily habit—like brushing your teeth, but for your mind.

• 🕒 10 minutes a day is great. 2 minutes counts.

• 🧘‍♀️ Longer sits (30+ minutes) are also wonderful if/when you can.

• 💛 Be kind. Begin again. One breath is enough.

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This one comes up a lot. And I get it—we’re used to measuring things, timing things, doing them “right.” (Hi there, fellow a-types. 👋)

In short, frequency matters more than duration. We don’t brush our teeth for two hours once a month and call it good. 🪥 Small, consistent daily acts of care add up over time—and meditation is no different.

If you can aim for ten minutes a day (to start), that's great. If you don't have ten minutes, try two minutes in the car before picking up the kids, a breath or two while waiting for your tea to steep, or a quiet moment before you fall asleep. These count too. This practice is less about how long you sit and more about how often you remember.

That said, longer sits are also GREAT and can help stabilize your attention and deepen your presence in everyday life, so if/when you're able to do a longer meditation (30-60 minutes or more), that's helpful.

And most importantly—try to be kind to yourself as you find your own (imperfect! always!) rhythm. And if you miss a day (or a year), remember that – lucky for us – we have infinite opportunities to begin again. So just start today, with whatever space you've got. Even one mindful breath right now. What if that's enough?

Rena Satre Meloy

Pause Cofounder