I took a class on meditation in college. It was amazing. It fulfilled one of my Liberal Arts requirements. Also, I got to breathe deeply and close my eyes during class! But most importantly, I learned how to meditate. Which basically means I learned how to space out, mindfully. But still.
It turns out, mindful space outs are good for your health. They make you more effective. More creative. More relaxed. Better at taking standardized tests (wha?). Also, happier. In Bhutan, schoolchildren meditate for 2 minutes every day as part of the country's Gross National Happiness (GNH) initiative.
There are many different ways to meditate, but here are some tips for informal meditation: Pick out a simple, one-syllable anchor word (like "calm" or "joy" or "ohm"). Breathe in deeply and think of your word while you inhale. Exhale slowly and think of your word again. Repeat for several minutes. You'll notice that your mind will wander away from your anchor word. And that's okay. Just recognize that you're thinking, "how delicious are fish tacos with cabbage slaw, I'm totally going to make those later," and refocus your attention on your breathing and your anchor word. Try not to fidget, but it's okay if you do. Try to keep good posture, but it's okay if you don't. Eyes open, eyes closed - doesn't matter. Just be comfy and enjoy your mindful space out!