Switch of & slow down in a busy society

How is this possible and how can we do it?

The stress in todays society can be extremely high in a lot of areas in our lives. Everything always has to go in a fast pace, we need to fit into the norms and when you go on a job interview the most important thing they wan’t from you is that you can do a 100 different things at the same time, which in my opinion is way to much to ask for. It’s made for depression and burn out since our bodies are not made to go in a 100km/h constantly. That is why it is so important to switch of every now and then to get our body and mind in balance again.

Remember, there are the people who say they don’t have time to slow down and take care of themselves, who needs it the most. It can be extremely hard to do this. It sounds very simple but your mind and brain will start wondering which will most likely make you feel a bit stressed. This is why it’s so important for you to do this. Your mind is constantly on the go and it needs a break.

Here are some things you can do to switch off your brain from all stress and worries throughout the day:

Reduce social media scrolling

Be more mindful on how you are using your social media. We can gain a lot of good information from there if we are using it the right way, but when we use it just to scroll on things that doesn’t have any value or meaning to us, is when it becomes a negative habit and can make us feel anxious and depressed. It’s easy to fall into standard norms and start comparing yourself with others and you forget what is actually important to yourself.

Pause & reflect

This is a great thing to do especially in todays society and there are many different ways to do it. One thing I do every day is meditation or mindfulness to calm my mind and feel relaxed. There are so many different guided meditations out there you can try to help you feel more connected to yourself. Other tools can be breathwork, art, writing or just sit down in a calm place using your sences and be present.

Nature

Spending a lot of your time outside in nature gives your body and mind a perfect break. Whether it’s sitting outside your own house, being with the kids at the playground or a walk or run in the forest, it will make your mind clearer, improve your energy and make you feel a lot better overall by getting some fresh air into your lungs.

Say no (and yes)

If you are or have been a people pleaser as I have, it can be really hard to say no to other people if they ask you for a favour or wan’t to see you when you don’t. You may feel you have to say yes to everything in order to be liked so you do this to get attention from others. While others are happy and grateful for your help and company, it feels good for you too since you get the attention from them but in the long run it will make you feel stressed, empty, anxious or annoyed since you never take care of your own needs. You need to give to yourself first to be able to give to others.

Phrases you can use to politely say no:

- ”I would love to help you out, but I need to do a few things for myself right now.”

- ”I don’t think I am the right person to help you with this.”

If you feel you don’t have the right knowledge for it, be honest and say that.

- ”I’m glad you thought about me, but unfortunately it’s not the right time now.”

- ”Let me think about it and I will respond to you tomorrow.”

This gives you time to think and feel if it’s something you really want. And most important, hold your promise and respond back, don’t just say it! That builds trust and they may show more understanding towards you.

By saying this, it doesn’t mean you should always say no to people all the time when they ask for something or want to spend time with you. However, the important thing is that you are saying yes when YOU want to and not when you are not feeling it but you do it anyway because you are worried that the other person will be upset or disappointed.

Activity & movement

I don’t think anyone in the world have missed the information that being active is the best medicine to stay healthy but in case someone has, I will write about it too. I hear a lot of comments from people who say they don’t have time to go to the gym and everything is so busy all the time. I think this is because people think it has to be more complicated than it has to.

When I say being active, it doesn’t mean you need to spend 2h at the gym multiple times a week, absolutely not. It can be just a walk, a home workout, dancing, yoga, a specific sport or anything where you are moving your body. You can do a lot of things in your own home or outside and doesn’t have to spend lots of money on it either if you are on a budget.

When it comes to the time management again, since most people don’t feel they have enough time to put aside for themselves, it can be an activity for as little as 15 min a day. No, it doesn’t have to be more. You need to find the right activity and right amount of time that suits you and your own lifestyle. So don’t get stuck on what’s on social media and what everyone tells you that you should do. Get inspired from something you find interesting, try it out and adapt it to your own level and needs.

Remember, something is better than nothing.

The important thing is to start practicing this in your everyday life and not only when you have ”time over”. You need to take time for this and make it a habit to be able to show your best self for your family, friends, colleagues and most important for yourself.