I know everyone is banging on about it but we really can’t deny that the last year or so has been a stressful one to say the least. Almost all of us have NEVER had to deal with a pandemic before, let alone prepare ourselves for one – and this includes being mentally prepared…
At times we were constricted to our homes, unable to see our loved ones or banned from being able to hop onto a plane which sounds dramatic, but holidays give us a chance to reset and catch a break so you can come back fresh and ready to go again. And ultimately in more ways than one, we have not had one break and that can be really tough for our mindsets. So please do not be so hard on yourself if you do not feel like your usual self.
A lot of us are feeling drained and having mental battles with ourselves. Why have we become our own worst enemies? Our bodies and minds have been thrown off course recently, so now it’s down to us to reset them again. So here are my four tips on how to realign your mindset and to get OUT of your head so you can avoid feeling so overwhelmed and mentally tired… of yourself.
Keep doing the things you love – because running (in the wrong direction) never helps! If you run away and close off from everything you love, you are no longer doing anything for yourself. You may feel like you need a break but calling quits on things you enjoy will only negatively effect you. For example, if you feel like you are really busy and mentally exhausted, you may feel less inclined to go to the gym or meet up with your friends etc. But in fact, that’s when it is MOST important to force yourself to go! Without realising, the time you’ll spend doing something FOR YOU and investing in YOUR HAPPINESS will give you a new purpose to focus on and TIME to give your mental mind a break. This will be the best investment you ever make long term. You may also find that afterwards, the things that were in your head do not feel as big as they once did.
Don’t stress – I know this sounds silly but stressing about how you are feeling will only lead to you getting deeper into your head. The mind is a crazy place but you also need to have faith that it is capable of working out the most complex situations and coming up with solutions. The more you stress, the more you will unconsciously tense up and close off and that doesn’t help anybody. Stress is often thoughts and feelings that haven’t and may NEVER happen. It’s similar to those nights where you just can’t sleep and you’re constantly checking the clock and seeing that it’s only getting later and later. The best thing to do in that situation is to relax and NOT stress. Turn your phone off, take time out for your favourite skin routine, wash your hair, relax in the bath, watch your favourite film. Yes you aren’t technically “unproductive” BUT your body is in a state of rest and that will still do wonders for you.
Schedule time for YOU! That doesn’t necessarily mean sitting in a dark room and tapping into your thoughts. Don’t get me wrong, if that works for you then go for it but having ‘me’ time can be done in so many different ways. For example if you are feeling like there are not enough hours in the day, making a cup of tea and just sitting down for five minutes will give you sense of control and allow you to be in a calm environment before going back to the mayhem. Schedule. Mental. Breaks. Or, and I know a lot of us are guilty of not doing this enough but saying no more… we can’t be everywhere at once and sometimes it’s ok to say no to new plans if you feel like everything’s getting too much for you.
Alternatively, if you feel like everything is blurring into one, wake up ten minutes earlier, pull out your pen and paper and write down all the tasks you need to complete by the end of the day. This will help you map out what is urgent, what is not and create an itinerary for yourself. And OMG the satisfaction you get when it’s complete and you get to tick it off is like no other hahaha.
Write it down – whether its writing a gratitude list to be able to reflect or jotting down everything that is getting on top of you, being able to get it out there is a form of clearing your mind and letting go of things. It’s also a nice way to look back and see how far you’ve come. Your past struggles are a reminder that you can get through things even when at the time you didn’t think you would be able to. Lastly, back to the ‘gratitude list’ – start it at the beginning of your day, it will put you in a good mood and you will have something to refer to throughout the day if you feel like you need it. This brings you back down to earth, right here, right now. The past does not exist and the future doesn’t either. You can be grateful for the smallest of things, so do not feel like it has to be something massive.
Getting your mindset isn’t easy but it is possible with an open mind, and I believe in you! Just remember that nothing happens over night but to trust the process.. because nothing happens AT ALL when you do nothing.
4 tips to get out of your head
