How To Stop Your Mind From Racing?

Are you always thinking and feeling restless until you are exhausted? How to stop your mind from racing? Here are 6 steps to help you!

Are you a perfectionist and a control freak? Do you enjoy striking off tasks from your to-do list, and feel restless and unsettled if some of the tasks you have set for the day go unaccomplished?

Are you simply unable to set your mind in the “present”? This is more common among freelancers like me who work from home. Do you always want to be productive?

Here are 6 ways how to stop your mind from facing so that you get to relax and live in the moment. These are from my experience and have worked for me.

• Do things slowly

My mind would constantly think about the next item on my list. While having dinner, I would be thinking about what I should make for breakfast the next day. While shopping for a dress, my mind would be racing about the tasks that I would have to complete when I got back home. In other words, I was simply unable to live in the “present”.

I then started doing things deliberately and slowly. Chopping vegetables slowly, driving to the market slowly, walking from the kitchen to the fridge slowly, and typing out my article slowly. You get the drift. The only activity where I quickened my pace was when I exercised.

• Multitasking isn’t always necessary

I was constantly trying to “combine tasks” trying to save time. Buying groceries on the way back from the gym and then realized I needed to withdraw money from the ATM, then ran out of petrol and drove to the bunk.

Never miss real stories from India's women.

Register Now

By the time I got back home, I would be so exhausted, with very little energy left for the day.

The next day, the activity that would get the axe would be my gym time. As if that was the root cause of all evil.

Now, I simply don’t multitask. I go to the grocery only when my pantry is empty or dangerously close to empty. I set aside time for a particular activity and spend that time doing only that activity.

• Practice deep breaths

Each time I feel the urge to rush through things, I take deep breaths. Long, deep breaths for around 5 to 6 times. This helps me slow down again. One breath at a time.

• Take the help of apps

I use an app, which has several 1 to 2-minute clips of guided mindful breathing. Many of their clips are free. There are many mental health apps, which are trying to help people gain balance in life.

During nights when I find my mind racing, I play their clips and can already feel my eyelids getting heavy by the end of the first minute. It’s probably the soothing voice. Am sure there are several such apps. Use the one that works for you.

• Make time for hobbies

Make time for activities that you enjoy. Set aside time for reading or listening to music or painting. There is no need to combine music with cooking or painting with podcasts.

• It’s okay to get bored

Finally, it’s okay to feel bored sometimes. It’s okay to have a few hours with nothing to do. Most of the time, we are so scared of boredom, we end up biting more than we can chew.

According to this insightful article, boredom can actually help boost brain activity. Being on the feet all day isn’t the same as being productive. Regular breaks are very important for physical as well as mental well-being.

In conclusion

Our well-being is in our hands, like a car can’t run on empty fuel, humans can’t run without rest and nourishment. In our bid to be product, we often sideline our mental and physical health. Remember to take breaks, drink water and deep breaths!

Image source for How To Stop Your Mind From Racing: FatCamera via Getty Images, free and edited on Canva Pro

Comments