Things To Do To Calm & Centre Your Mind

When it's not in your power to change the major, life-altering events happening around us, what can you do to feel better?

Create a Consistent Sleep Routine

Whether you have trouble drifting off or a tough time staying asleep, it can lead to fatigue, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and other mental health difficulties. To get into a good sleep routine, try to get out of bed at the same time every day.

Sleep is sacred but the brain craves structure and routine. Going to bed the same time every night, and getting out of the bed at the same time every morning is part of healthy sleep hygiene and solid, restorative sleep is an anti-depressant all it's own.

Set One Small Goal

Setting a small, achievable daily goal can build a sense of mastery and accomplishment. When you can't complete that goal, you get discouraged and hopeless, which hurts your mental health and sense of self-worth. Your daily goal can be truly small: making your bed, reading a chapter in your book, or reciting a positive affirmation. The feeling that you completed something, no matter how big or small, encourages your brain and body to keep going , even if at the end of the day you were only able to get that one task done, you still accomplished a goal you wanted to do and that feels pretty good.

Practice Mindfulness During the Day

Try practising mindfulness for one minute every day, said psychologist Lauren Kerwin, PhD, executive clinical director of Evolve Treatment Centres in California. Once a day, she said, focus all your senses on:

Something you can see like: a bird outside the window, the colour of your floor tiles

Something you can touch like: a blanket, the water running through your fingers

Something you can smell like: tea, essential oil, laundry detergent on your shirt

Something you can hear like: the hum of the air conditioner, a car driving by

Something you can taste like: toothpaste, food you're eating

This type of exercise only takes a few minutes but does wonders for your mental health,

It helps your mind stretch the mental muscle of observance and mindfulness, of becoming more aware and observant of the facts surrounding you.

When your emotions start spiralling, this practice grounds you in your physical reality.

Try Box Breathing

Breathwork can provide mental health benefits.

Breathing exercises help to reduce stress, improve concentration, help to centre you for the day, ease anxiety, lower blood pressure, and release endorphins which can help to improve mood and alleviate pain.

Here's how to do box breathing:

Sit comfortably in a chair with both feet on the floor.

Slowly exhale through your mouth for four counts, emptying your lungs.

Hold for four counts.

Slowly breathe in through your nose for four counts.

Hold for four counts.

Exhale for four counts and repeat the sequence as long as needed.

Make Lists to Prioritise Your Time

Mapping out your day with lists helps you prioritise and manage expectations.

Setting aside some less-urgent tasks can also reduce anxiety and help you learn to finish work without self-criticism. And if you're a procrastinator, I'm a procrastinator myself and I used to beat myself up, making the procrastination useless.

Since I have my list and have dedicated a time to completing the task, I'm going to mindfully enjoy my show and then get my work done even if it is last minute.

Exercise

Getting your heart rate elevated for 30 minutes a day through exercise releases endorphins and can even help with depression and anxiety. It doesn't have to be the most strenuous workout but it should be enough to feel like you have pushed yourself, all types of exercise can benefit your mental health.

Say No When You Need To

Saying no to expectations and things that aren't aligned with the persons values, energy or priorities is important. It's an effective way to manage healthy boundaries and gives the individual room to say 'yes' to things that are in their best interest.

Do One Thing a Day That Makes You Happy

Choose to do one small thing that makes you happy every day.

This could be as simple as eating a delicious meal, lighting your favourite candle, or listening to your favourite music. Doing one thing that brings pleasure to your life every day will decrease your vulnerability to emotions and help you cope better with stressors.

When we are feeling down or stressed out, one of the first things to go is pleasant events. It's pretty crucial to do pleasant things to keep your mental stamina going.

Recognise and Accept Your Feelings

One effective thing that people can do to daily improve their mental health is to recognise their feelings and feel them fully, without pushing them away or dismissing them.

Pushing aside your feelings and emotions can cause a build-up that can lead to mental health problems. When emotions come up or feel overwhelming throughout the day, try to name them, spend a minute staying with them until they open up and pass.