With the launch of a new coaching program, starting up a new event series, and dealing with the normal things that come up day-to-day, this month for me has been go-go-go. Getting back into normal rhythms and routines has felt like jumping off of a fast-moving treadmill and (AKA the contrast is super disorienting).
Maybe you can relate! Maybe these past few months of "stay at home" haven't turned into the bread-baking break so many have made it out to be. Maybe you've been running on empty and all the things you've been doing have taken their toll.
Here are three techniques to help you pause, re-focus and keep calm in the chaos.
1. Set a daily intention.
Incorporate intention-setting into your morning routine— it could be while enjoying your morning coffee or even while brushing your teeth. Just set a time each morning to regularly ask yourself: “What’s my intention for today?” You can reflect on how you want to show up in the world, how you want to take care of yourself, what you’d like to achieve. It can be as simple as, “Today, I will practice breathing deeply and being gentle with myself.” Rather than rushing through your day, making this part of your morning will give you the opportunity to pause, check in with yourself and revisit your intention throughout the day. The more aware you are of your intentions, the greater chance you have of shifting the quality of your day (and mindset!).
2. Give yourself buffer room.
When you’re planning your weeks, commitments and requests on your time can start to pile up — until your activities are all back-to-back. Before you add anything (and I mean ANYTHING) to your calendar, be mindful of giving yourself some buffer time between each task. Even if it’s 15-20 minutes. Rather than entering a new task (while mentally somewhere else due to how exhausted and stressed you are), buffer time can give you a minute to pause and say to yourself: “I finished that. Now I’m doing _____.” Not only will you feel less rushed, you’ll also be able to be more present and productive.
3. Use your senses.
Sometimes simply observing and taking note of what we’re experiencing can bring us back to the here-and-now during a season of overwhelm. Whether you’re in your fifth Zoom meeting of the day or making a quick lunch in between commitments, note what each of your five senses is taking in and name it to yourself? What do you see, smell, taste, feel and hear? This practice has been shown to decrease anxiety and re-ground us in our environment when our minds get over-stimulated.
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