December is holiday season, a time of parties, celebrations and spending time with friends and family. This is my favourite time of year, but also the most stressful time of year for me as well. Often toward the end of the year I start to get stressed due to work and life pressures building up. When I start to get too busy I have to sit back, refocus and 'de-clutter' my mind. Here are the main ways I do that.
1) Turn the technology off
I love my Facebook and Instagram and can't get enough of my favourite TV shows just like anyone else out there, but sometimes technology can take over your life and bring the outside world too much into your mind when your in need of some calm. So when life gets stressful I try to have a little technology break, minimize social media, leave the phone and laptop in my cupboard for 24 hours and enjoy some much needed technology free me-time.
2) Set aside meditation time
It is so important for everyone's mental and emotional health to set aside time to be still and refocus. This is by far my favourite part of every day. I usually take 10 minutes after yoga or exercise, set an alarm and simply relax and focus on my breath, letting out the stress of the day. Taking this relaxation time makes a world of a difference, especially on stressful and sleep deprived days.
3) Be Creative
A great way to unwind and scale down when you have a lot going on is to get back to the basics and create something. Whether its writing, painting, building or designing, focusing on a project and letting your mind discover and create helps de-focus from a busy to do list or anxious thoughts. So even if your busy try to take the time to do something small and create something positive.
4) Have a You Day
Sometimes we spend so much time with other people we forget that in order to be a good friend and input into other lives we have to love and input into ourselves. Part of this is taking you time. One of my mantras is the more you can love yourself the more capacity you have to love others. Its not about having a big ego, or being narcissistic, its about truly accepting and respecting yourself and giving yourself encouragement when you deserve it. If you're feeling irritable and impatient toward others in your life its probably because you have forgotten to make time for yourself so take yourself out on a date, get a massage or go to a nice cafe and enjoy the blissful company of you.
5) Exercise
Living a holistic lifestyle means balance. For me this means when I have an active and busy life and mind I need to balance that with some physical activity. Even a simple jog or power yoga class can mean the difference between a busy mind and a calm one.
So those are five of the methods I use to de-clutter my mind when it gets too busy. What are your favourite ways to wind down in a stressful time?
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