Do you feel frustrated when things become jumbled in your mind or mixed up in the muddle? Do you feel irritated by the halt in ticking off that to-do list? Do I hear gritted teeth of ‘oh so familiar’? Fear not! There is help at hand. Your HLB Self Care Consultant has got you - to help you clear your mind so you can get on with life!!
It's amazing how quickly our minds can get full of stuff and before you know it, it feels like you're in a frazzle. It’s the ruminating, the going round in circles and the general haze that can sometimes wash over us. It stops us in our tracks and puts a pause on our productivity. What’s so interesting is the more ‘technology’ we have, the less we sometimes seem to get done - well in some areas anyway. Here are my headspace making faves;
Journaling has many uses - sometimes in my head, letting things just flow and unravel really helps - some of my best ideas come to me when I mentally journal. It frees up the mind without the pressure of an end goal. It's just mulling it around. You can also use journaling to note down things that are worrying you. (I prefer to talk those things through as writing them down kind of gives them permanency for me). Journaling is great for achieving goals and to off-load thoughts that drain your energy.
Stop Multitasking - Busy people tend to do this a lot however, there's science to prove that it’s not helpful when you have a cluttered mind. There is a joy in completing or part completing a job, so use that joy to your advantage and get part of the job done before moving on.
Let It Go - Mind clutter is almost always related to past experiences. They are like building blocks that stack up. Like a kitchen draw stuffed with all your mistakes, missed chances and hurt full to the brim. Go through these mental draws and lay to rest the memories that no longer serve you well and are taking up valuable mind space for your creativity and space to grow.
Limit your Incoming - I am known as the ‘Anti-notification Gal’. I am sensory sensitive so I find the constant beep or flash up on my phone really intrusive and overload happens very quickly for me. I find sound, visuals and even smells can be very distracting. Take an audit of what’s filling up your senses. What are you constantly hearing or seeing and how much time does that take up. That time is keeping you mind full with little space to breath. Yes, Hun, the mind needs space to breathe, it's how it refreshes itself. With a constant barrage of content from news and updates and notifications...our brains need a break. Decide what is helpful and what might matter worse.
Be Decisive - For some, decision making is not easy. But when things linger in our mind, they take up space. It's a bit like your inbox, if you never ever responded to emails in a timely manner you would end up with so many emails that you would not know where to start. The brain is no different. Being decisive is the best way to stop the brain overflowing.
Books and Tools to get you decisive.
Two brilliant books:
Ditch it or do it! By Bev James - Turn ideas into action and make decisions that count.
Feel the fear and Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers - tools to stop worrying or deliberating and do it.
A pros and cons list - Quick and easy - make 2 columns with Pros and Cons as the titles. Write all the positives things under pros and and all the negative things under cons. Compare the lists to help you decide.
Third party advice - Sometimes buying stuff, or doing something new is stepping in to the unknown. Procrastination as we all know, is the stealer of time. So see what others say about it. Learn form their mistakes, reviews and cut out the figuring out. For stuff the Which Comparison site is a good place to start!
The WRAP method by the Heath Brothers - This is a 4 part method for decision making - Widen your choices, Reality check, A step away for mental distance, Prepare to review.
Autopilot Your Routine - Super helpful for the busy woman. Plan your way to peace. Get as many small regular tasks into a set pattern as possible. So that you won't need to think about them. My hubby can eat the same thing for breakfast every day. It makes food shopping easier and quicker as there is no thinking. People who have a uniform have more time for coffee. Here’s why...they don’t have to think about what to wear! Simples! I have one client who has a set day for speaking to friends. Every Saturday she knows it's going to happen so she doesn’t need to think about it! And doesn't feel guilty for not staying in touch. Easy peasy!
Yes, My Lovelies...I know these are all easier said than done. So I invite you to try at least one of the above and see what results you get. Better yet, tell me how it works for you.
You’ll get more inspiration and practical skills to use right now and instantly feel the SelfCare benefits of making YOU a choice.