Easy Ways To Find Calm
We show you some simple ways to build an oasis of peace into your everyday life
BALANCING ACT
Modern lifestyles and communications on the go can blur the lines between the work, family and leisure aspects of our lives. You may enjoy the buzz of plate spinning, even when it is at the expense of your own rest and relaxation, or any sense of calm. But be honest – is being busy a choice that you are actually making, rather than being something you cannot control? Consider how you can redress the balance to factor in some downtime for your own personal benefit or interests. After all, your wellbeing is not an indulgence, it is a necessity.
WORK IT
A calm day at work is often beyond our control but it is worth taking steps to button down the elements you can control to give you the best possible start. Organise your workspace with a 5-minute tidy up at the end of the working day, so you aren’t greeted by the sight of clutter when you arrive at the start of the next one. At that point, jot down your priorities for the following day, while they are still fresh in your mind, so you are fully prepared for it.
Can you diarise some “do not disturb time”? That oasis of calm in a busy day will do wonders for the concentration – and that To Do list, too!
TECH TONIC
Technology can actually help you find calm – there are mindfulness apps and plenty of good advice online, for a start. But do you really need to be accessible 24/7?
Manage your tech time; take away the IT from TIME and you are left with ME. Your designated ‘me’ time shouldn’t be punctuated with emails from work or demands for attention from social media. Mute notifications to remain focused, and never more so than from mid evening onwards, which should be a strictly IT-free zone for your total relaxation.
HALCYON HOME
Your home should be your sanctuary so make it one which will induce a sense of calm for all of your senses. It might be a tall order if you have family at home but the restorative power of even one room you can escape to when the world imposes too much, will be worth the effort you put into creating your wellbeing haven.
Eliminate vibrant colours and vivid patterns and introduce a calming colour palette and soothing designs. Bring the outdoors in with a plant or two, light an aromatherapy candle and don’t forget the “happy hormone” inducing power of music. Clutter is a huge no-no, so reclaim your sur faces and floorspace by eliminating anything that is surplus to requirements, preferably repurposing it rather than hiding it away in a drawer or cupboard – your mind will still know it’s there, even if you can’t see it.
AU NATUREL
Reconnect with nature. Nature-based interventions are an increasingly important tool used by the medical profession to achieve sound mental health and wellbeing in their patients. A stroll in a local park or beauty spot in the fresh air, or a cycle among the sights and sounds of our beautiful countryside is the best possible tonic – just ensure that you actually look up and take it all in.
Of course, you needn’t even leave your home if you have access to a garden. For many of us, simply pottering around pulling up weeds or sitting on the patio admiring the roses is enough to drain the stress of the day right away.
MIND YOURSELF
If your sense of calm is overridden by worry about the future or dwelling on something in the past, consider Mindfulness to recalibrate. This is a simple form of meditation which concentrates the mind on the present, taking notice of what you are doing and what is around you. The benefits of Mindfulness to mental and physical health are proven and you can do it anywhere, at any time you need it. For tips and a downloadable leaflet visit WWW.MIND.ORG.UK
CRAFTY WORK
The crafts recognised, used calming in has occupational long with effect been crafts of therapy Research for shows over a that century. engaging with the visual arts has proven benefits to our mental health, including the reduction of stress hormones in our bodies such as cortisol.
If you haven’t yet joined in with the craze for adult colouring in books, just give it a go! The focus and repetition required for the simple task of colouring means that other anxieties and considerations will gradually fade to the background as you work, making you increasingly relaxed and calm.
Apply pure, essential oils onto your pulse points with the Botanics
Mindful Calm Roller Ball Ylang Ylang & Mandarin and breathe in their soothing scent. £5 for 10ml. Available at Boots. WWW.BOOTS.COM