I am a practitioner of Zen meditation, and would like to give you a short introduction to meditation. 

I meditate by sitting cross-legged on a cushion, facing a wall with eyes half open, observing (and sometimes counting) my breath.  Although I ideally want to meditate 30-40 minutes a day, sometimes I will meditate as short as 10 minutes a day. 

Meditation is really simple to do, but it takes commitment and an understanding of what meditation is for. 

Meditation is a way to live fully in the present moment.  When you start meditating, you will notice that it is often uncomfortable to do nothing but try to observe your breath.  In essence, you are having resistance to living fully in the present moment.  But if you practice sitting still daily and just observing what is going on in your mind, you will become more accepting of your thoughts.  You will also become more adept at recognizing distracting thoughts, letting them go, and returning to the present moment.  Quiet meditation is the best way to practice living in the present moment.  If you are living in the present moment, you are like a phonograph needle that stays in the groove and does not skip and skid across the surface of the record causing damage to yourself and your environment.

Meditation is often called a "practice", because it is good preparation and practice for living your life fully.  When you are familiar and accepting of how your mind works, you are able to better cope with greed, fear, and delusion that may come up.

The key with meditation is to keep on doing it daily, despite hardships or obstacles.  That way, you can keep in practice.

You will need a lot of encouragement to keep your commitment to meditation high.  Reading books can be helpful.  I personally have found Thich Nhat Hanh to be a very clear writer (try Living Buddha, Living Christ).  One of Thich Nhat Hanh's best advice is to "find a Sangha".  A Sangha is a Buddhist community of fellow practitioners.  There are meditation and Buddhist groups all over the world -- you can undoubtedly find one if you look online or in the phone book.  Go visit this group and become part of the community.  This will really help you stay on the right track and avoid falling into discouragement. 

I am not an expert in meditation by any means, but I am just sharing my own personal experiences.   I hope you find this guide helpful, and good luck in your practice.