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“Pay time to yourself”, “be more careful” – when we are in stress or thoroughly burned out, such advice is annoying. We don’t have the time or energy to take care of ourselves. And yet without this step, nowhere. That’s what you can do when the strength and emotional charge on zero.
The events of the last one and a half years have shown that their own mental health needs to be engaged: take care of him, maintain, help themselves. It helps to cope with stress in difficult and unstable times.
“It is necessary to give yourself at least five minutes a day: putting work and other duties pause, reflecting, look for available sources of energy, is sure the psychiatrist Jessica Gold. – Making such interruptions regularly, you will soon begin to notice improvements in mood, productivity and concentration ability. ” Here’s what you can do for yourself in five minutes.
1. Free yourself from at least some of the mental load
Set all planning and thinking to better times. Is it possible to postpone the choice of school for the child for now? Do it. Is it possible to decide on the weekend plans not today, and at least tomorrow? If yes, set aside.
The easier it is our “mental cargo”, the easier it is to be here and now.
2. Do a breathing exercise
Deep breathing is an extremely simple practice that helps develop awareness and the ability to stay in the moment. And this, in turn, helps to calm the fussy mind, improves the mood and reduces the voltage.
On the Internet, you can easily find a variety of breathing techniques, the implementation of which will take no more than five minutes. “The most beautiful thing is that you can perform most practices even during tense meetings and telephone conversations,” Gold adds.
3. Listen to your favorite song
According to the clinical psychologist Megan Rice, this is one of the most efficient ways to quickly raise yourself the mood and recharge your positive energy.
You can even make a playlist from the compositions that are guaranteed to raise the mood, and include it in stress situations. If circumstances allow, you can even dance a little: movements lead to the release of endorphins, joy hormones.
4. Start keeping a journal
Call for five minutes to reflect and record thoughts in the diary – this practice will help to relax and increase awareness. Gold advises to take this diary with me, wherever you go to, and record our feelings after tense meetings and situations.
You can also install the corresponding mobile application, but many experts advise writing by hand.
5. Read the sammary or the small chapter of the book interesting to you
Psychiatrist Chandan Khandai believes that this is a great way to feel satisfied: firstly, in just five minutes you completed some task, and secondly, you learned something new in an area that is interesting to you. A small useful article would also do.
6. Go for a walk
The benefits of fresh air and physical activity for mental health cannot be overestimated: according to Jessica Gold, even the shortest walk allows you to switch, unwind and start thinking better.
7. Make a list of thanks
This practice is particularly effectively implemented by those who are immersed most of the time in negative thoughts. Try to specially choose time and focus on positive: happy memories, and better – on what you are grateful. Thank you all who deserves it: people, events and, of course, themselves.
8. Practice self-compassion
Most likely, you are familiar with thin, but the persistent voice of inner criticism. It’s time to fight back. Learn to be careful, to keep yourself, even the slightest successes.
Every day, find at least five minutes to analyze how you feel, console yourself, cheer up and gently push in the right direction.