Having peace of mind is priceless. It allows you to sleep better, cuts down on your stress, and provides you with the opportunity to focus your energy on what’s important. But sometimes it can be hard to reach this peace of mind, especially if you are concerned with something.
Let’s take a look at how you can reclaim your peace of mind.
1. Write down what’s bothering you
The first technique is very simple. When you write down the things that most bother and concern you, it has a twofold effect. First, it allows you to let these ideas out of your head and onto the paper, so it’s easier to stop thinking about them and going over the same things in your mind.
Secondly, it can help you gain some perspective and even understand the root cause of your worry. Writing things down when you feel overwhelmed can help you free your mind and allow it to settle.
2. Complete the unfinished task
There is a very real phenomenon called the Zeigarnik effect in psychology. It suggests that we can’t easily forget and let go of tasks that are not completed, but once something is done, we forget it without trouble.
Unfinished tasks and situations are constantly tugging at our minds and demanding our attention, so they detract from the energy and focus we can give other things. Once you complete whatever is unfinished, you are much more likely to feel serene.
3. Make a clear deadline
Deadlines are often unpleasant, but in reality, they are powerful allies for getting peace of mind. A deadline can help us set clear priorities and start working. The next strategy involves writing down the deadlines you have and organizing your work.
In this way, you can focus on whatever needs to be done first and also don’t have to remember the upcoming deadline – the paper will remember it for you. When you know you’re on top of the task and that you are organized, it becomes much easier to settle down because there is a sense that you are in control of the situation.
4. Clear your mind
Meditation is one of the techniques you can use to clear your mind, but even just a few breathing exercises can help you relax. Clearing your mind involves taking the focus off of the thoughts that bring you anxiety and onto something calming – a mantra, a visualization, your breathing, or anything that works for you.
A simple meditation for 5 minutes can leave you feeling a lot more centered and a lot less overwhelmed than before, and it’s a good strategy to apply when you need to disconnect from the worry for a while.
5. Talk to someone
When we let our anxious thoughts go round and round in our heads, they tend to become overblown. They grow bigger than they should be and feel overwhelming. Talking to someone we trust about them is an easy way to gain peace of mind, as another person can provide us a better and more balanced perspective and also help us get a sense of whether our worry is justified or not.
Just saying it out loud to someone is a good way of hearing how it sounds and provides a calming effect. It’s useful to choose someone with a less judgmental disposition and someone who won’t pile on to our worries, as some people might instead start to blame or give add more anxieties.
6. Disconnect from the situation
Allowing ourselves to leave the situation for a while can be very helpful. When we are too caught in, it can start feeling like something that is truly important. When we disconnect, we can take perspective and feel less invested. A good way to disconnect is to work outside, better if it takes us to green space.
You might do something else, turning off your notifications, and choose an activity that relaxes you and allows your mind to focus on something else for a change. When you come back to the situation at hand, you will likely have a lot more peace of mind and energy to cope with it.
