We all need time in our day to regroup, press pause and think before we get a little punchy. How good does it feel to take a breather during a busy period or how often do we put our kids in time out when they’ve turned feral?
The more we can train ourselves to see the need for pause despite the whirlwind and deadlines we are caught in, the more we will notice the benefits of a mini mind reboot.
Finding space in your day:
Number Ones
Be it a tinkle or a cuppa, anything you do regularly during the day, turn it into a mindful task. Instead of rushing through it and then off to the next thing, slow down, check in with yourself.
Am I breathing fully?
How are my shoulders and jaw going?
Connect in regularly during the day to stop that runaway mind from careering off course.
Play
Every day do something playful even if it’s for a couple of minutes. Sing at the top of your voice in the car, dance while you’re getting dressed for work, blow bubbles out the window at traffic lights. We all take life a little too seriously and how refreshing is it to see an adult playing and enjoying themselves. When we play we reconnect with joy and joy is a wonderful thing we all need more of.
Breathe in Balasana
Yes here I am banging on about breathing again. So many studies have correlated a slowing down of the breath to an increase in the parasympathetic nervous system which effects our ability to relax, feel safe and calm down. Calm breath, calm mind. Try a ‘square breath’ where you inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. Of course you can modify the breath length to suit you or even make it more of a rectangle with 2 for the holds if that feels better.
Even better if you can lie in Balasana (Child’s Pose) as well. Come into a kneeling position on the floor with the toes untucked, sitting on the heels. Bring the forehead to the floor so the tummy is resting on the thighs and rest the arms on the ground beside you. A super comfy restorative position to take some time out from the world. You can modify it to make it more comfortable by placing extra padding under the knees and ankles, placing a cushion between the bum and the heels and having something for the forehead to rest on.
Say No
Need some space, say no more often. This is easier said than done especially if you don’t have a good understanding of where your priorities lie and where your boundaries are. That’s a whole other post. Until then take some time before replying to someone about that dinner, play date, extra shift. We all want to be helpful and catch up with friends but sometimes taking that time for yourself is more important. And I don’t mean saying no to someone so you can fill that space with something else, I mean saying yes to you. Take yourself for a walk instead, read that book for twenty minutes, jump in the bath. Fill your own dang cup.
Easy Peasy
How can I make this easier?
This is my favourite mantra at the moment. Every time I utter these words I feel a warm light shine down upon me that scoops up one of the sandbags that are perched on my shoulders. Does it have to be this complicated? Can I ask someone to help? Is this even necessary? What is the real or perceived benefit of this? Sometimes the task still needs to be done but perhaps introducing more play into it is the answer, especially now you have your favourite song and dance routine down pat.
I hope you can use some of these tips to open up your day a little more. Even if you are still doing the same amount of work adding in snippets of space will start to have a profound effect on the rest of your day. I’d love to hear how you add space and calm into your day.
Much love
T xx