Learning to stop thinking about annoying, stressful or intrusive things that take up space in your mind is a very important personal skill. Try the following tips to clear or distract your mind so you can relax and disconnect from the problems of everyday life.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Eliminate Anxious Thoughts
Step 1. Face your anxieties
While it may seem counterproductive, the best way to get something off your mind in the future is to face it and get over it. Otherwise, the same problems will come up again and cause anxiety until you decide to deal with them.
- Regretting and constantly thinking about ideas that generate anxiety is a mental habit that you must change. Give yourself permission to consider the source of these thoughts. What is the scenario that you fear the most? Why are you so concerned about this possibility?
- After identifying the source of your anxiety, imagine the worst possible outcome. People often fear the unknown, when many times they are able to cope with the worst possible outcomes. Ask yourself what is the worst that could happen? How could you deal with this situation?
Step 2. Establish a schedule for concerns
It's impossible to force yourself not to worry about problems, especially if they present real day-to-day challenges (like the economy or relationships). Taking time each day to worry will help you feel more free for the rest of the day.
- Set aside 20-30 minutes a day to think about the issues that concern you. For the rest of the day, remember that this is not the time to worry.
- Make sure to schedule this "worry time" early in the day. Otherwise, this could prevent you from getting a good rest.
Step 3. Meditate
Although some television shows may convey a different notion, meditation is not a complicated, creepy, or mystical activity. Many ordinary people use simple varieties of meditation in order to calm the mind. Meditation is about developing the discipline necessary for concentration or relaxation of the mind.
- To begin, sit in a comfortable position in a quiet place without distractions. Sit comfortably, but make sure you keep your back straight and maintain good posture. If you prefer, you can use a chair.
- Close your eyes slowly and breathe naturally, inhaling and exhaling through your nose. Concentrate on the sensation of air entering and then leaving your nostrils, throat, and lungs.
- If concentrating is difficult for you and you notice your mind begins to wander, gently bring your attention back to the breath. You can practice this exercise for a few minutes, then gradually increase the time you spend clearing your mind.
Step 4. Practice yoga
Like meditation, yoga is a popular physical and mental exercise, although it is frequently misunderstood. Many people practice it to relax and stay focused after a long day. Like meditation, it can be a calming and relaxing practice. However, unlike meditation, yoga involves a certain level of rigorous physical exertion that will help you stay in shape and actively focus on things other than your worries.
- Find yoga classes in your area. Many studios offer a free trial class for students to decide if they want to continue.
- Look for community centers or Christian associations in case you can't afford classes at a yoga studio or academy. These institutions usually offer discounts on classes or allow you to pay for each session individually.
- Buy classes on DVD or look online for tutorials if you are not interested in group classes. These videos can be as good as a normal class in a studio. By learning the movements, you will be able to practice yoga without the videos.
Method 2 of 4: Distract Your Mind
Step 1. Avoid triggers
Identify the source of the annoyance, distraction, or stress, and put it elsewhere for a while so you can ignore it.
- When you get home from work, hide your laptop, phone, unpaid bills, and all the other things you might associate with working. If you recently broke up in a relationship, remove all the things that might remind you of your ex. Reduce your chances of thinking about things that make you feel bad.
- Avoiding the news (whether it's on the internet or on television) can be a good idea for people with generalized anxiety. The news is often sensational to capitalize on worries.
Step 2. Go for a walk
Spending time in the park, the forest, near a lake or in a nearby meadow will help you connect with the environment, removing worries from your mind. In addition to the physical health benefits, outdoor activities have been shown to improve concentration and levels of happiness.
- Make sure your time outside doesn't become an opportunity to lament over problems that are bothering you. During hikes, pause to observe the texture of the grass, the movement of the lake, or the changing light of the sun on the trees or mountains. Serenity scenarios can be constructed in the mind so that they can be easily revisited or remembered. Take this advice into account.
- If you find it difficult to focus on your surroundings and your mind begins to wander and remember the issues, try starting your hike with a specific goal in mind, such as collecting interesting rocks, identifying different types of birds, or tracking wildlife. These tasks will allow you to stay focused on other things.
Step 3. Listen to music
Music is an excellent tool to break free and dance, or meditate and relax. Whatever your favorite style, actively listening to it will help clear your mind to feel refreshed.
- Slow, methodical melodies can bring you into a meditative state. Some studies have shown that this reduces stress and anxiety in a similar way to hypnosis and meditation.
- If you don't want to relax but need to be distracted, another option is to listen to music with complex lyrics that require a lot of attention. Staying focused on this will allow you to remove the worries from your mind. For example, you can listen to Natalia Lafourcade, Gustavo Ceratti, Joaquín Sabina or Enrique Bunbury.
Method 3 of 4: Focus Your Attention On Other Things
Step 1. Read a good book
The use of literature to improve mental health is known as bibliotherapy, and it is incredibly effective in clearing the mind and eliminating problems by focusing on someone else's story.
Pick a book in a genre that is interesting to you and fully immerse yourself in the lives of the characters. Visit your local library or go to https://www.lifeder.com/recommended-books-to-read/ to find some interesting suggestions
Step 2. Exercise
If you lead a sedentary life, it can be very difficult to clear your mind and forget about the worries that you just want to avoid. Additionally, exercise has been shown to relieve stress, reduce anxiety, and prevent depression. Find an activity that you enjoy, whether it's taking aerobics classes at the gym or shooting basketball at the park. Read more about the following optimal physical activities that you can do on your own:
- Weightlifting
- circuit training
- trot
- swimming
- basketball
- boxing
Step 3. Volunteer
An excellent tool to clear your mind and forget about your problems in focusing on helping others.
- Call a homeless shelter, animal shelter, food bank, or any other type of organization. All communities offer opportunities for volunteer work.
- Studies have shown that 100 hours of volunteer work per year increases feelings of life satisfaction, relieves stress, and improves physical health.
Step 4. Try a new recipe
This will allow you to engage your mind, hands, and palate. Find a different and delicious recipe that you want to try, gather all the ingredients and start cooking. If you don't want your foray into the world of cooking to leave you a few extra kilos, donate the preparations to a poor family in your community. Try some of the following amazing recipes:
- stew
- casserole
- Apple pie
- fried chicken
- vegan cupcakes
Step 5. Create something
Instead of focusing on the issues that concern you, do something productive with your time to keep your mind and hands busy. Pick a project that you've always wanted to try.
- Draw or paint. Even if you're not a great artist, a good way to clear your mind is by trying to copy some Bob Ross paintings or by trying different inks on a Jackson Polloch-style canvas.
- Create a small collage with newspapers, magazines and other cut out photos. You can even transform it into a postcard to send to your friends.
- Write a journal, a story, or practice your poetry techniques. Writing is an excellent tool to clear your mind and stop thinking about your worries, as long as you choose topics that are not related to your problems.
Step 6. Clean the house
Grab the vacuum cleaner, cleaning products, and start cleaning the house.
- Cleaning your house can symbolize a new beginning, as well as helping you focus your energy on improving where you live. In fact, living in a messy environment can cause overwhelming stress levels.
- It starts with a quick cleanup, tidying up, throwing out the trash, and superficially fixing things. Then, dedicate yourself to doing a deeper cleaning; Vacuum, dust furniture, and wash floors. Throw away everything that is broken or that you no longer use, and donate everything that works but is no longer necessary for you.
Method 4 of 4: Be a social person
Step 1. Call your friends
One way to stop thinking about something is to share moments with other people. Don't spend time distracted or depressed alone at home.
- Call up some friends and plan an activity together, or invite your closest friends to watch a movie at your house, enjoy a gala dinner, or play fun games.
- While you want to stop thinking about something, you may also want to talk about problems that are bothering or distracting you. If you're feeling depressed after a breakup, recent disappointment, or some other kind of problem, it's a good idea to talk to a trusted friend, rather than looking to distract yourself.
Step 2. Spend more time with your family
Whether you live with them or not, have a large or small family, whether they are close or not, spending quality time with family can help you stop thinking about problems.
Organize plans to share an activity with your family, or just spend some time at home. Even if you only go to dinner and watch TV, sharing these things with your family can be more relaxing and comforting than anything else
Step 3. He frequents a public space
If your friends and family are busy, consider visiting a public space to be close to people. Even if you don't want to sit and talk to strangers, the simple act of looking at people can be a good way to distract yourself.
- Visit your local library, coffee shop, bar, park, or record store to socialize or people-watch.
- Although it is true that bars are excellent meeting points and good places to socialize with people and have some drinks, keep in mind that drinking alcohol is not a good way to distract yourself, since this habit can cause serious dependency problems. Visit the bars to interact with others, not to forget the problems through drinking.
Step 4. Send a handwritten letter or postcard to a friend who lives far away
In the case of not being able to receive a visit from your friends, send them something. Write a letter to keep in touch, ask questions to catch up, and to tell you what's new in your life.
If you prefer something more "retro", record a tape of different songs and mail it to your friend
Warnings
- Avoid alcohol and drugs. While these substances can make you forget about problems momentarily, they can also lead to more serious problems in the future.
- Avoid consuming stimulants like caffeine, as they can increase anxiety and make it harder to shake off stressful situations on your mind.