Setting Aside Quiet Time – 5 Minutes of Bliss
With the busyness of life we are always on the go. Make breakfast for the kids, get them ready for school, go to work, head to class, make time to eat, get to the gym, don’t forget about that mountain of laundry. For most of us it seems like a never-ending cycle of “always taking care of things”.
We are being productive, but everything is back to back and go-go-go. There needs to be a balance of some sort. What I suggest is giving yourself just 5-minutes a day to decompress your body and mind.
“Okay, I have 5-Minutes. What should I do?”
Original Strength Resets
Of course one of the first things that I would recommend you doing are Original Strength Resets. Get into a gentle flow, focus on your breath and just chill. I’ve been Pressing Reset for a while and it’s become a staple in my life. I add them in the morning when I wake up, while I play with my 6 year old son, before my training sessions and even while I wait for my next appointment at work. Resets are simple, yet so highly effective to get your body back in the groove.
Unplugging
Now personally, this is one that I really need to get a hold of also. With Instagram, and Facebook, it seems like I have an unlimited supply of things to look at on my phone. I do admit there are times where I feel the phone is literally about to melt into my hand just like the picture below.
Find time to unplug, put your cell phone away, turn off the TV. Go take a walk outside, or even just go outside and chill out. Breathe in the fresh air, feel the sun and wind on your skin. Consciously unplug yourself from the matrix.
Space Out
This is kind of taking a page out of meditation but try to just sit, preferably on the floor and literally “space out”. Try to clear your mind, breathe, relax, and stare out into nothing. I’ve done this many times and it really does wonders.
Your mind may be thinking of some things, and your “inner chatter” may be loud at first, but the more you “space out” the more your mind becomes quiet and relaxation will come quickly.
Sometimes I even have space out moments in the shower. I just feel the water on my skin and I don’t think of anything, it feels so invigorating and relaxing. Most the time these “space out” moments only last for 30-60 seconds, but it has a lasting effect throughout my day.
5-Minutes and Beyond
Now 5-minutes is a starting point. Once you’ve become comfortable with allowing yourself this time, let’s try to kick it up to 10-minutes. Another thing you could do is find time to add 5-minutes in the morning, 5-minutes around lunch and 5-minutes before bedtime, that’s already 15-minutes of “alone time” that you thought you didn’t have before.
If you take care of yourself you will be better suited to take care of your loved ones. I truly believe this.
Give any of these a try and let me know how it goes. Heck, you can even take time to try one each day. Trust me, you will feel sooooo much better.
