I’m back to the topic of being busy, aren’t you glad?
Busy starts in the mind with a feeling of chaos, clutter, and overwhelm. When you’re in this head space, then everything in your world will appear to be chaotic, cluttered, and overwhelming. You know this what this feels like – going a hundred miles an hour in your head, and getting nowhere fast.
Here are seven ways to get out of your mind when the internal busyness has you spinning in circles.
Do it. What are you avoiding? Avoiding projects, whether big or small, can actually drain more energy than just taking care of it. For instance, obsessing over your taxes can drain your ability to focus on work, or enjoy your personal life – so just do them and get on with life! To get yourself into the frame of mind to take action, close your eyes and imagine how great you will feel once the task is complete, and your mind is free from the obsession!
Is this mine? Ask yourself this question. The busyness in your head may be – at least in part – someone else’s problem. Take the time to identify who should actually own the thoughts you’re entertaining between your ears – you may find they’re not even yours!
Take a hike. Get out into nature, or simply walk around the block. Especially for those of you work from home, this is a great way to shake your brain out of a frantic, locked-up pattern.
Write it down. If you’re hashing and rehashing thoughts in your head, writing them down takes away a lot of the fear and worry. It brings them into the realm of reality, and the power they have over you is significantly diminished.
Talk it out. Sharing what is bothering you gets you out of the spinning in your mind, and out into the open. Letting someone else in on the process can give you new, fresh ideas. Be careful, though. If you’re talking about the same story over and over, then you’re falling into the trap of just complaining, rather than actually looking for solutions.
LAUGH. Go on YouTube and type “funny cats” into the search bar. A little silliness goes a long way to shifting gears in your mind!
Yippee File. Write down what you’ve done right today. Include every little thing, and appreciate yourself for what you’ve done. I created a “Yippee File” that I write down my good deeds for each day.
What else helps you get out of your mind, and into action?
