“Hello caller, I am listening.”

For anyone familiar with the television show “Frasier,” you know that those are the first words the inimitable Dr. Frasier Crane says to people calling in to his radio show seeking “good mental health”—one of Frasier’s favorite phrases.

But when we stop and think about it, what is good mental health? Furthermore, how do we achieve the focus and concentration needed to get our goals accomplished in a world where multitasking seems to be the only way to go about it?

Many people resort to over-the-counter pills and abuse caffeine in order to achieve some of greater alertness and focus. And while imbibing caffeine-rich drinks may seem to do the trick, the only thing it’s really doing is making you totally reliant on a stimulant that will leave you feeling tired, listless and cranky without it. In short, it obscures the mind rather than clarifying it.

But fear not, for researchers from the University of Pennsylvania have discovered what many have already known but few have put into practice: how through as little as 30 minutes a day of meditation works wonders for the body’s mental health acumen.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the average employed person in this country works 9.3 hours a day, spends 7.6 hours sleeping, 3 hours doing leisurely activities like watching television or reading, 0.3 hours doing household chores and 3.2 hours doing various other kinds of activity like traveling, shopping, eating, talking or drinking. Now, imagine just how productive one’s day could be if they’re more focused!

Researchers at UPenn had participants in their study split into two groups: those who had never engaged in meditation before—or what the doctors referred to as “mindfulness training”—and those who were well-versed in meditation. Those who were new to mediation performed a variety of meditative tasks for 30 minutes per day over an eight-week period and were later tested in order to gauge any improvements in performance-related tasks at a computer (e.g. response time, accuracy, etc.). Meanwhile, the well-versed group spent a month at a retreat and performed similar meditative activities, only at a more intensive level. The results indicated that while those experienced with meditation had a greater ability to prioritize and focus on goals, those new to meditation showed marked improvement in their own ability to focus and prioritize.

This one-of-a-kind study—i.e. the first to analyze the subcomponents of the mind’s ability to pay attention—indicates that as little as 30 minutes a day of meditation can greatly improve the mind’s cognitive functioning, and also bring greater relaxation in the long term (though the meditation activity itself, they admit, may not be relaxing in and of itself).

Thirty minutes may seem like a lot for those with lots to do and little time to do it in. But in the time it takes to watch a re-run of “Frasier,” you can discover for yourself what it is to have good mental health.

For more information on this study, look for the article in the journal Cognitive, Affective and Behavioral Neuroscience or visit:

http://www.upenn.edu/pennnews/article.php?id=1155