The more menial a task is, the easier it is to make it a form of meditation. Activities like walking to an errand, washing dishes, and cooking come to mind. Whenever I feel myself twisting up into a frazzle, “This, too, can be meditation,” comes to mind. 

The statement helps me loosen up. It creates an opportunity for me to become aware of what my mind was hanging on to—or where it was running off to—and shift focus to my breath. There’s always time for a micro meditation, pause, and remember that being calm is a choice.

I wouldn’t consider this a substitution to a dedicated meditation practice; perhaps it is a good supplement to one though.