“I had not been particularly present and had been rushing through life without noticing things. I had forgotten how pausing and taking things in more can prevent stress.” – Kate
I have recently reminded myself how valuable the activity of mindfulness is to help us focus if we are feeling stressed or procrastinating.
It has been a challenging few weeks for me supporting my family and balancing work life with my family life and home life.
I had been doing a lot on all fronts and then felt like I wasn’t doing a good enough job with any of them.
I had not been particularly present and had been rushing through life without noticing things. I had forgotten how pausing and taking things in more can prevent stress.
MINDFULNESS
It was only when I noticed something I hadn’t noticed for a while that I had a moment… it made me pause and realise the importance of getting the balance right. It reminded me that I don’t have to do everything at once and that it’s good to be a bit kinder to myself.
Mindfulness practices like bringing your mind back to the present and not getting lost in what has happened in the past – and what may happen in the future – can help reduce stress levels and anxiety.
From a personal perspective, mindfulness practices help keep my mental health in good shape, and that had slipped a bit when my life was thrown into a bit of chaos.
Thankfully, things are calmer and more positive now and I am on catch-up at work so here’s a few tips to help you if you ever feeling a bit like I did a few weeks ago.
1) TAKE A BREAK
If you find yourself unable to focus and are procrastinating, walk away and take a break to interrupt your thoughts. Move away from the room you are in, go outside and take 5 or 10 mins away for a change of scenery.
Get outside and enjoy some fresh air, no matter what the weather is, embrace it, even if you have to wear a big coat.
Take time to reset and walk away. We think we don’t have time to do these things but if we allow ourselves to do them, we tend to work quicker and are more productive.
2) FIND A MOTIVATOR
Not a reward but maybe something that your future self will thank you for. Tell yourself: ‘If I get these two jobs done, my future self will thank me for it’. Not too big a goal, just something realistic.
3) SELF KINDNESS
The way we are feeling is not permanent, it’s temporary and tomorrow is a new day. Know that next week, things tend to feel better. Don’t get too caught up in the frustrations if you are struggling to focus.
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