Do you remember when life moved at a slower, more balanced pace? Not long ago, life was quieter — phones did not notify you every five minutes, emails did not pile up in your inbox, and people did not expect rapid responses. Those days seem long gone, but this does not mean you need to avoid a timeout from life’s demands.
Your nervous system and brain have to keep up with a lot in today’s fast-paced world. As we get overloaded with daily demands, it leaves your body and nervous system feeling burned out. When this happens you may feel mentally drained, your immune system struggling, and have a strong need to sleep for five days.
This means it is time for a nervous system reboot. In reality, your body needs intermittent breaks away from the chaos surrounding you to avoid complete burn out.
It does not take much to help reset your nervous system and feel calm again. Here are four simple stress-busting activities you can put into action right away.
Take a mental vacation
What does a mental vacation look like to you? If you completed all tasks demanding your attention, what would you do with your time? That is a refreshing thought.
How about?
- 30-minute reading time
- 1-hour picnic in the park
- 20-minute nature walk
- 10-minute dance party
- 30-minute power nap
Make a list of activities that offer mental freedom and set a time. A timeout is a necessity to have the mental and physical energy to put more effort into your work.
Check your breathing
Bring out your inner yogi, and focus on breathing in through your nose. Breathing through your nose helps to activate your parasympathetic nervous system. This helps calm your fight, flight, or freeze response that can be triggered with stress.
Mouth breathing is an indicator of stress as it is needed for greater exertion — like during an intense workout. Nose breathing is meant to calm you down and help reset your nervous system.
Stay out of isolation
As humans, we all need connections. However, we often live in isolation. Many people work from home and mainly communicate through technology with family and friends. This lack of personal connection can cause more anxiety and mood swings.
It is important to connect in “real life” with the people who make you laugh, inspire, and uplift your spirit. This is also part of resetting your nervous system. If you want to expand your network, consider joining a meetup group with interests you enjoy.
Break free of your phone
Most of us keep a close eye on our phones every minute of the day. Test yourself. Can you leave your phone, computer, or other devices powered off, or in another room, for one hour? Moving away from technology can help clear your head. Use the time wisely to focus on activities that help you unwind.
Give it a try. With a few simple changes, you can find more balance and a calm state of mind throughout each day.