One always have this desire for change and more. Without these two words, Change and More, life would have no meaning. For most survival necessities are sufficiently provided for, this is a realization that the pandemic has given to many.
Human nature is such that we always want more of what we like, may it be food, clothes or shelter. The thirst to get more of what we like to run through our veins, and when we vary our first liking, we benign to search for the next.
In case we cannot get enough of what we like or are unsuccessful in finding the next mice to chase, we are definitely in distress. From this steams all transactional feuds in our minds, that result in anxiety and thus resulting stress. The two main variables in causing this state of unhappiness are the external factor and the internal factor. The external factor initiates the internal desire to react, the intensity at which both impact each other is directly proportional to the pain. However, change is inevitable, and survival is to manage change.
The perspective is to balance, and it's more like seasoning to a dish absence or excess of it, in either case, shall ruin the dish.
Mastering this balance's art helps improve one's mind, body, spirituality, social life, love relationships, family relationships, finances, work, and career if chosen appropriately. These small activities might work in full or part for you, and some of them might not be of interest today. Consume all and put to practice what works for you.
1. DESTRESS - MINDING THE MIND
Stress is a state of mind when the mind doesn't agree with something at that given specific time. If either of the two variables is attended to, stress ceases to exist.
The stimulus for stress may vary from individual to individual. It cannot be defined, as the span of an individual mind is so infinite and versatile that it's impossible to find its reaction to any or similar stimulus at different given point of time. Thus what could be a source of stress to someone might be just another event for the other.
Thus stress is the mind's function in realising a situation and defining it as a problem or an opportunity. So, the two factors of stress are the state of mind and the problem. The harder they hit each other, higher is the stress factor. If we are capable to condition the mind to pause, analyse and hold the reaction time, we can, to a large extent, manage stress.
Imagine clapping with one hand; similarly, imagine the mind being conditioned to the extent that it can withstand any problem and remain calm.
Conditioning the mind is a very vast subject, starting from mindful meditation to Nirvana. Achieving a state of mediation takes effort and time and may not be a cup of tea for everyone. Definitely, I have had a few unsuccessful attempts at it.
So what work for me is to divert, "Diverting the mind into an activity which engrosses one immensely, to the extent that one loses the essence of time."
2. READING DAILY
It's not a secret that reading stimulates your brain's activity and keeps your mind sharp. It has been scientifically proven that people who do 30 minutes of casual reading are calmer, happier and make better decisions.
This one definitely diverts the mind; however, just like meditation, reading also results in slumber. So, choose and choose your topics well to get transported into the writer's world and lose track of time. This activity conditions the mind with a verity of information from various people. This shall also help in taking much better-informed decision in life.
3. BELIEVING IN SERENDIPITY
I am not against planning, but definitely pained when things don’t work as per plan. I am in no way against planning. However, I have reservations on stringent, regimental day plans that monitor every hour. My experience with regimental planning has been not more than thirty per cent efficiency or effectiveness. I don't know if that is good, but what was disappointing is that a major amount of the tasks moved over to the next day and the day after. My everyday plan had nearly two-thirds of repetitive activities.
During this period, I noticed a phenomenon, “the golden moment of the day”, this is when great unplanned things happen. It happens to everyone; however, most of us are so focused on our lists or goals that, at most times, we miss the daily grace.
So, the magic word for the mind to be stress-free is, "While I have these activities broadly planned, let's see what the day has in store for me". At the end of the day, count your blessings and see the amount of positive energy you experience and radiate.
4. EAT BRAIN-FOODS
You are what you eat – literally! Everything that enters your body has been processed, and your body uses it to function correctly. Hence, if you want your brain to work better, try to eat as healthy as possible and go for the main brain-foods, some of which: fatty fish, walnuts, dark chocolate (unsweetened), blueberries, green leafy veggies and more.
5. GET YOUR FINGER TO WORK.
Easier said than done. We are all aware that doing an exciting activity is next to meditation, as one loses where one loses track of time. These activities are usually anything that has your fingers evolved, Writing, Sketching (many formats), Drawing, Sculpturing, Clay Mouldings, Gardening, play board games, cooking, playing an instrument and many more. These activities reduce your stress levels, as such engagements refine and minimize the impact of a problem.
6. SLEEP IT OFF
I have slept over most of my most stressful situations, including jobless or relationship losses. It may sound crazy, but I have since the last three decades have comforted my troubled mind by sleeping it off, that now it's become a default setting if I can't do anything about a problem, then better sleep it off.
This one is probably an offshoot of what my dad used to say, "this too shall pass". Sleep it off sounds crazy but believe me, it's worked for me.
7. KEEP LEARNING
Second, to casual reading, new learning is one of the most relaxing and benefiting activities that add to your monetizing skill set and diverts your mind to a new perspective, which helps negate some of the problems. Choose something that can be monetized now or in the future to have the interest to peruse it and leave it midstream.
8. WORK ON YOUR BODY
A healthy body hosts a healthy mind, and a healthy mind doesn't get stressed quickly.
As a quick recap, listed below are a few points that I find helpful.
During the pandemic, the ten thousand steps daily target may not be possible as you are confined indoors, so make it two thousand; the sense of achievement is an incredible high.
Get involved with what you eat, savour the smell, taste your food and enjoy it. Please don't rush through it. Get your diet plan in place; take the help of a nutritionist. Drink plenty of water: drink your 21. (twenty-one glasses a day)
Smoking and Alcohol, I am speaking from personal experience neither of them help in any way to reduce stress, most probably they add to it. They are mind diverters till the time one is consuming them. More often than not, during consumption, a stressed person makes the mistake of an act that is detrimental and adds fuel to the fire.
9. HAVE A DAY TO YOURSELF
This one is one of my favourites, while not so practical during the pandemic. To see if this works for you and is useful, you shall have to give it more than a couple of tries. In the first two, you probably might find it counterproductive.
The deal is, the decided day get into your most comfortable clothes and shoes. Carry enough money to get you through public transport and by a couple of burgers and coffee. Ditch the Mobile if you can, and if you have to carry a candy bar phone that has only a voice and SMS facility.
No set out for the day, observe people, things and float around. Once you get accustomed, you are far more distressed. The want for more just for pleasure is reduced. At later stages, you will find solutions to problems that gave you stress much more quickly. The fact is the subconscious mind observes people situations and processes them to your advantage.
This one is not a walk in the park in any way, and it's not being with nature and savouring its tranquillity. It's not walking with your head down, looking at the road, and it's not sitting in the metro reading a book or the newspaper. It's in the moment, observing things, people, situations and events around you.
This had been a productivity activity for business people, artists, writers and leaders. I was introduced to it as being called the "Dough Day".
10. SPEND TIME IN NATURE
Most critical, connecting to nature is being one with the creator. Long walks in the woods, parks, historical monuments, trekking, drive to a mountain, surf on the beach, or go for a picnic all these activities shall definitely rejuvenate you, with an additional strength to face problems.
Having a day to yourself is a solo activity, whereas spending time with nature can be either.
11. SIT THERE
It's funny; our batteries don't drain, we are ever thinking, and action figures. Even our leisure is activity-based. We are either stuck with our phones, computers or televisions, pounding on keys in all cases. We need tablets to get to sleep, and still, we can't get enough.
Just sit, close your eyes and listen to your heart. If you can do it for five minutes without being uncomfortable, you are one with yourself. Stretch it to fifteen minutes.
12. SHARE KNOWLEDGE
This one excites me the most, and I so loved it being a trainer. I love to hear my own voice, and I presume most of us do too. Associate with a group where you can learn and teach.
Your confidence, objection handling, communication skills, listening skills and self-esteem shall skyrocket.
CONCLUSION
We have adopted to the new society filled with information, information that we might not even need, information from television, social media, malls, marketing traps, and many more. The purpose is not to shun them, and the intent is to find time for yourself and relax to help reduce your stress, stress in society, and nasty repercussions.
