Pick a book in a genre that you find interesting and allow yourself to be immersed in the lives of the characters. Try looking at your local library or check out www. goodreads. com for suggestions from other readers.
Lift weights Circuit train Jog Swim Play basketball Box
Call up your local homeless shelter, animal shelter, food bank, or other organization. Every community has ways to get involved. Studies show that volunteering 100 hours a year increases overall feelings of satisfaction with life, provides a buffer for stress, and even improves physical health. [3] X Research source
Braise beef Make a casserole Bake a pie Make fried chicken Make vegan cupcakes
Draw a picture, or paint. Even if you don’t consider yourself an artist, spending some time doing Bob Ross imitations or launching paint at a canvas Jackson Pollock-style can be a great way to unwind. Make small collages with newspaper, magazines, and other found-photo cutouts. You can then turn these collages into postcards and send them to your friends. Write in your diary or journal, or write a story, or try out your poetry skills. Writing is a great way to get your mind off of things, so long as you choose a different topic to write about than the one you’re trying to avoid.
Cleaning your living space can symbolize a fresh start and help you refocus your energy on improving your own living area. In fact, living in a messy space can cause feelings of stress that can be overwhelming. [4] X Research source Start with a quick clean, tidying everything up, throwing away garbage, and straightening generally. Then, go into your deeper clean mode, vacuuming, dusting, and scrubbing. Throw away anything that is broken or unusable and donate anything that works but you no longer need.
Call some friends and plan to do something together, or get some close friends to come over and have a movie night, a dinner party, or play a game of some sort. You may want to take your mind off things, but you may also want to talk out the thing that’s bothering you or distracting you. If you’re feeling upset over a break-up, a recent disappointment, or some other issue, it might be a good idea to have some sympathetic friends to talk with instead, rather than distract.
Organize plans to do something out with your family, or you could just head to the homestead and spend time at home. Even if you’re just eating dinner and watching television, doing it with your family can be more relaxing and comforting than anything else.
Head to the library, a coffee house, a bar, a local park, or a record store to socialize or people-watch. While it’s true that bars can be great neighborhood hangouts and places to socialize over a few drinks, drinking is not recommended as a way to distract your mind, as it can lead to serious problems with alcohol dependency. Go to the bar to socialize, not to drink your trouble away.
Want to go really old school? Make a mix tape and send it to a friend in the mail.
Ruminating – a tendency to replay anxious thoughts over and over in your mind – is a mental habit that has to be broken. Begin by allowing yourself to consider the root source of your anxious thoughts. What is the scenario you fear most, and why do you worry about it? After you have identified the source of your anxiety, let yourself imagine the worst-case scenario. Often we let open-ended scenarios frighten us, when in reality we can handle the worst-case scenario. Ask yourself, what is the worst thing that can happen, and can I handle it?
Schedule 20-30 minutes at the same time every day to think about the issues that worry you. Remind yourself at other times that it is not the time to worry. Be sure your “worry period” is early enough in the day that it does not interfere with your sleep. [5] X Trustworthy Source HelpGuide Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources. Go to source
Start by sitting in a comfortable, quiet room free of distractions. Sit in a position that is comfortable for you, but keep a straight back and good posture. Use a chair if you prefer. [6] X Research source Close your eyes gently and breathe naturally in and out through your nose. Focus your attention on the way the air feels entering your nose, then your throat, then your lungs; and then on how it feels leaving again. [7] X Research source If you find it hard to focus on your breath and your mind starts to wander, just gently redirect your thoughts back to your breath. You can do this for just a few minutes and then gradually increase the time you spend clearing your mind. [8] X Research source
Try investigating a yoga studio in your area. Many studios will allow you to take a class for no charge to see if it’s a good fit for you. If you can’t afford classes in a studio or gym, consider your local community center or YMCA, which often have yoga and other classes at a discount or on a pay-per-class basis. If group classes are not right for you, purchase a DVD series or try YouTube lessons. These can be just as effective as a course in a studio, and when you learn the moves well enough, you can do them without the video.
If you just got home from work, hide your laptop, your phone, those bills that are overdue, and all the other things that you associate with working. If you just broke up with someone, clear out all the things that remind you of that person. Make it too difficult to think about the things that are bothering you. For many people who struggle with general anxiety, avoiding television or internet news feeds can help, since the news is often sensationalized to capitalize on your worries. [9] X Research source Sometimes you can’t avoid your triggers, but it can still be helpful to figure out what they are. For instance, someone might say something that triggers a painful memory. It’s important to dig deep and figure out where those feelings are coming from. [10] X Expert Source Allison Broennimann, PhDClinical Psychologist Expert Interview. 11 December 2020.
It’s important that you don’t allow your time outdoors to become a place to dwell on the issues that are bothering you. During your hikes, pause to notice the texture of the grass or the changing light on a tree or mountain, the ripples of a lake. Sets of serenity can be built in our minds and they are places where we can go more simply in our minds. Remember this. If you find it hard to focus on your surroundings and your mind wanders back to your troubles, consider setting out on your walk or hike with a specific purpose in mind, such as collecting interesting seed pods, identifying various types of birds, or tracking wildlife. Having a task to do can help refocus your attention.
Music with slow, methodical beats can put you in a meditative state and has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety much like hypnosis and meditation. [12] X Research source Alternately, if you don’t want to relax but still need a distraction, try listening to music with complicated lyrics that you’ll have to follow closely. Staying closely engaged will help to keep your mind off other things. Check out Leonard Cohen, Patty Smith, Bill Callahan, or Vic Chesnutt.
