In today’s world, where we are forced to believe that the only way to succeed is to be constantly grinding, it’s easy to see how our minds can get clogged up. This often ends up in complete overwhelm. Help tackle the problem with these 5 ways to clear a busy mind, and hopefully you’ll be feeling less overwhelmed in no time.
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Write it Down
Whether it’s a million ‘to-do’s or just a brain full of random thoughts, getting them all down on paper/in a phone note can really help to pull the plug on the build-up.
It could be journaling, writing your ‘to-do’s out in a list, or some other form of release, but by taking the thoughts in your head, no matter how small, and getting them down somewhere else you can really create the sense of lifting a weight.
Sometimes holding it all in your head is the biggest part of the problem.
If you start to panic about what to write, write that you’re struggling with what to write. Literally take every single thought and write it. Gradually as you train yourself to write it all down, you’ll naturally be able to focus on writing what you NEED to write.
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Get that Body Moving
In this world of over information, it’s easy to see why our minds do more moving than bunnies hyped on sugar. But one way to help take that busy mind and focus your energy elsewhere is to get your body moving instead.
Whether it’s a long walk out in fresh air, punching a punch bag or taking up some crazy new hobby like goat yoga or line dancing, moving your body can work for many different reasons.
Firstly, moving your body and getting that heart rate up releases those little happy things called endorphins. This instantly makes you feel better. But even disregarding that, sometimes when you’re feeling overwhelm, or the resulting anger of anxiety taking your brain in a vice, smashing it out during a walk or workout can be the most cathartic activity.
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Breath Work
Breath work is one of the most under-utilised methods for helping to relieve anxiety. And not because it’s something really deep, but purely on a scientific level, when we get anxious we tend to start to do shallow, panicky breathing, which means we end up not taking in enough oxygen for our body to do what it needs to do. This creates a cycle of feeling more anxious.
When we work on taking deep, controlled breaths in and out what we are actually doing is sending our brains the oxygen they need to function.
So definitely start working on this one!
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EFT Tapping
In case you missed it and would like a more in-depth explanation, we did a post on EFT Tapping here. Simply put, EFT tapping works by breaking up the negative energy throughout our bodies by tapping on specific energy points and repeating our overwhelming thoughts at the same time. This is an incredibly clever way to break up with your overwhelming thoughts and anxieties.
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Meditation
I know, I know. But hear me out. I realise that meditation as a suggestion is thrown around like confetti in the wellness world, but it’s for good reason, I promise.
If you can learn to meditate, your mind and body drift into a state of relaxation, and by regularly practising, you learn to drift into that relaxed state faster and easier.
You may find it doesn’t happen easily at first, but as with everything, practise makes perfect.
I hope you find one of the above suggestions help to calm your thoughts when they’re starting to spin. Remember it’s okay to take time to breathe and regroup, in fact it’s not just okay, it’s absolutely necessary.
