Learning how to look after yourself in the modern day can seem tougher than ever. Anxieties over health, post-pandemic life, financial concerns, and having too much to do with not enough time to do it can contribute to us all not feeling like we can switch off. When there are so many things that we need to do learning how to switch off is tough. Something like “Future Fatigue,” in other words, worries about the future, in combination with information overload, can all exacerbate that inability to switch off. How can we learn to actually switch off?
Implement Calmness
Part of the problem we have is that we are overloading ourselves. When you can’t switch off, you need to stop and allow yourself a minute away to change your breathing or to implement practices in your daily life that will provide a more consistent dose of being calm. Lots of people use CBD oil as a quick route to this, but there are other things you can also do, whether it’s a few deep breaths, hypnosis sessions, or just shutting yourself away, closing your eyes and putting some earplugs in.
Find a Hobby
You might think that meditation or mindfulness is a great way to switch off but doing these things makes you feel like you should be switching off quicker when you cannot. Instead of these practices, choose a hobby that can occupy your mind without having to reach for your phone. We can keep reaching for our phone or not feel present when we’re watching TV because we need something to occupy ourselves physically.
This is where doing something like reading a book, doing a puzzle, or journaling requires physical engagement. When you do these things, it’s important to do them with intention. When you decide you’re going to do something, you have to remind yourself why you are doing it, which is why having a greater sense of intention can do a lot to help you stay level-headed.
Rethink Your Working Day
If you cannot switch off, especially if you’re working from home, you need to put a different structure in place. In the office, you would give yourself the luxury of time away from your desk or you would build in breaks. Rethinking your working day by working smarter instead of harder can help you to become more efficient. You may benefit from time away from the desk or doing the tougher tasks at the very beginning of the day, but whatever it is, this can make a big difference when working remotely.
Find a Trigger
We can’t just give our brains the signal to stop thinking. We need to have little triggers or signals in place that change our energy levels and send a message to our brain that we’re doing something different. If you feel constantly overwhelmed by your email lists, mindfully switching your phone off and doing jumping jacks or a quick jog on the spot can be a great way to change your brain state, which helps you to shut down whatever you were doing and change the scenery.
