Meditation for the afternoon slump: 7-minute self-compassion session, on the train

About this practice

Nothing to learn and nothing to fix: 7 minutes of self-compassion for the afternoon slump, on the train. A guided session of about 7 minutes, suited to all levels. Nothing is recorded and no account is needed.

What this works on: the afternoon slump

The post-lunch dip is a normal circadian low, not a failure of willpower. Core temperature and alertness both dip in the early afternoon.

It tends to show up as:

• Heavy, foggy middle of the day
• Struggling to stay with anything
• Reaching for sugar or caffeine

The dip is temporary. A short practice gets you through the low without adding stimulants on top of it.

Doing this on your commute

• Headphones on, eyes open or closed depending on your comfort
• Keep one part of your attention on your stop
• Do it standing if sitting is not possible — nobody is watching

Commuting time is already dead time. Nothing is being given up.

How self-compassion works

Self-compassion practice changes the tone of the inner voice rather than the content of the thoughts. It uses the same warmth and steadiness you would offer a friend, applied without requiring you to have earned it.

• Use the words you would actually say to someone you love
• Ask what you need, not what you deserve
• A hand on the chest or belly gives warmth and pressure a place to land

What happens, minute by minute

1. 0:00Find one place in your body that already feels fine. Use that as the starting point.
2. 0:15Whatever you are about to say to yourself, imagine saying it to someone you love. Use those words.
3. 0:31We're going to move through the body in order, roughly from top to bottom.
4. 0:45We'll work through this slowly. If you lose the thread, the thread will wait.
5. 0:59Count down from ten, one number per exhale.
6. 1:10Notice the small gap after each exhale. Rest there for half a second.
7. 1:23Notice the weight of your thighs, all the way down.
8. 1:35Feel the front of your chest. Notice it rise and fall once.
9. 1:48Notice your pelvis resting on the surface below you.
10. 1:59You are allowed to be unimpressed by the 3pm dip. Indifference is a legitimate response.
11. 2:13This is not the last time the post-lunch fog will visit. That is not bad news. It means you will get more practice.
12. 2:31Feel the back of your neck. That's a place that holds a lot.
13. 2:44Nothing changes for a moment.
14. 2:53Notice the small pause before your body decides to breathe in again.
15. 3:06Notice the backs of your knees, which you feel more than you think.
16. 3:19Notice if your attention is in the future. Bring it back to the room.
17. 3:33A gap. Don't rush to fill it with thinking.
18. 3:44The question is not what you deserve. It is what you need, right now, in this moment.
19. 3:59If you feel numb, that's a valid thing to feel. Nothing to fix.
20. 4:12Let the out-breath be a little longer than the in-breath, without forcing it.
21. 4:25Nothing to follow for a moment except your own breathing.
22. 4:37Feel the weight of the heavy middle of the day somewhere specific, then let the floor take a share of it.
23. 4:54Remind yourself, slowly: I am safe in this moment, even while the 3pm dip is here. Safety and difficulty can share a room.
24. 5:12Feel your breath move down your back, all the way to your lower ribs.
25. 5:26Notice any part of you that wants this to be over.
26. 5:38If you feel emotional, you don't have to explain it to anyone, including yourself.
27. 5:52A few seconds of nothing now. That's on purpose.
28. 6:03You are allowed to have a hard time without earning it first.
29. 6:16Let your jaw, shoulders and hands be loose as you finish.
30. 6:28Let your eyes open when they're ready, not when the words end.

Questions people ask

Meditation is a practice, not a treatment. If you are dealing with ongoing distress, please also reach out to a professional.