To some degree, our lives have become frenetic. We are juggling many responsibilities and hopefully have been able to keep all the balls in the air. However, from time to time, more gets added to our plate, or there are setbacks that demand more of our attention, whilst we still must manage all of the other stuff we need to do. Sometimes, it can become too much. We are more stressed, our nerves get frazzled and we become more irritable. We may even experience having trouble sleeping, find ourselves over or undereating, or indulging in destructive or self-sabotaging behaviour, just to cope.
However, we cannot abandon all of our responsibilities and take a vacation. In the midst of all of the chaos, we need to find calm: some respite in order to rejuvenate. We share five simple but profound ways to bring more calm to your life – until you can take that much-needed vacation.
1. Stop
When we are stressed, our bodies get tense, as we have increased levels of adrenaline and cortisol in our bodies, and there may even be a sense of flight or flight. Initially, we can feel more alive than we normally do, thanks to adrenaline, but after a relatively short period of time, feelings of being stressed and overwhelmed start to kick in.
One of the best things you can do for yourself when your life is feeling chaotic is to recognise this is the case and stop. Take a few moments to check in with yourself and ask yourself a few questions: How am I feeling? What am I feeling? Why am I feeling this way?
All too often, it is easy to get caught up in the busyness of it all and don’t check in with ourselves. Sometimes, it is only when we fall ill or have a health scare that we realise how much our body has been suffering. It is thus beneficial to make a habit of doing quick self-examination a few times a day to build that self-awareness and connection to our body so that we can then decide how to proceed.
2. Breathe
When we are stressed, we would be surprised that we tend not to breathe properly. If we pay attention, the deep, full diaphragmatic breathing that we should be doing normally, to fully oxygenate the body and help us process stress has been replaced by shallower and faster breathing in the upper chest.
Breathing more deeply will help us to slow down, especially the mind, which would be going a mile a minute trying to ensure that we are vigilant in keeping on top of all of our responsibilities. Instead, have your mind focus on your breathing – long, smooth inhalations and exhalations.
An excellent de-stressing breathing technique is box breathing, which has the following four steps:
- Step 1: Exhale for four counts
- Step 2: Hold your lungs empty for four counts
- Step 3: inhale for four counts, and
- Step 4: Hold the air in your lungs for four counts, and then go back to Step 1.
3. Meditate or Contemplate
Meditation does not necessarily require you to drop all that you are doing to sit cross-legged and chant for 60 minutes – though if you have the time, it does have its benefits. Ideally, meditation or contemplation can help the mind to remain calmer, and some ways a bit removed from the tasks or activities at hand.
A 5 or 10-minute meditation can do wonders, and there are several techniques from which to choose, including breathing meditations, mindfulness meditations, and mantra and spiritual meditations. However, it is regular practising whatever techniques you choose that will allow you to realise the most benefits in the long run.
4. Journal
As we have discussed in previous articles, journaling can be invaluable in helping you to become better attuned with yourself and what you are feeling. It is an excellent way to process unresolved feelings, by allowing you the space to document and revisit past situations or experiences and to share your most intimate thoughts and feelings. Often, we may not even be fully aware of what we have been feeling – until we give ourselves the permission and the grace to write freely without the self-censor looking over our shoulder.
Journaling may not necessarily be a quick fix when you are in the midst of chaos. But it can give you a place to do a mental and emotional dump, which inherently can alleviate some of the stress you would have been experiencing. More importantly, and over a longer term, journaling gives you some much-needed quiet time to start to process your thoughts, feelings and experiences and to become more attuned to yourself.
5. Move
Finally, one of the best ways to alleviate mental, physical and even emotional stress is physical activity. Exercise, be it a vigorous workout or a more relaxed activity is crucial in rebalancing the chemicals and hormones in our bodies, by detoxifying the body of cortisol and adrenaline and getting our brains to release endorphins, which makes us happier and lifts our spirits.
However, do note that as much as a leisurely stroll might be better than no exercise at all, the true benefits are realised when your body and mind can be absorbed in the physical activity. If your mind can still wander back to the chaos, the activity may not be sufficiently engaging. It may a good idea to walk or exercise with a friend or in a group, where the conversation can be a distraction and give you some reprieve from the chaos in your life.
It must be emphasised that periods of prolonged stress and anxiety can damage your health over the long term. If this is your life, it is strongly recommended that you seek to address and reduce those stressful situations. However, it is appreciated that from time to time life gets crazy, and these five steps are coping tools and techniques that can help you to get over that hump and things get back to normal.
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