3 Routines for a Reset
You’re human, sometimes life gets in the way.
Use these 3 Routines to get you back on track.
Did this month just go off he rails?
Reeling from devastating loss or news?
Just not feeling in control?
These 3 routines can help when you need to hit the reset button, because life can get messy.
1. Disconnect:
Our lives are a constant over stimulation of digital data and triggering information. Never before have we been so constantly connected to technology. Routines that allow you to turn off your phone at a certain time, or to be left in another room as you sleep, are all great ways to support healthy boundaries with tech.
Some of us might even remember a time when you left your house in the morning and no one could reach you until you got to another landline phone, or even until you returned home. So choosing to willingly separate from technology might sound impossible, but is it?
So take a day, or even your weekend to try this routine.
On Friday evening, choose a time and power down your phone, put it in a box, place the box in a cabinet and close the door.
Not sure what to do next? Here are a few ideas:
Write.
How long has it been since you put your thoughts down on paper? Or that idea for a project you have been meaning to work on? Writing is a great mental exercise to get your feelings out even if it goes no further than the sheet of paper.
Read.
Pick up that book you’ve been unable to finish. Or pick up a book that is completely unrelated to your work or professional development, travel the old fashioned way, through a story
Plan a slow morning breakfast.
Think fresh brewed coffee, scrambled eggs or tofu (if that’s your jam) warm toast and some fresh squeezed orange juice.
My good friend and hypnotist Desirèe of Desemerized taught a great exercise to try in one of her most recent workshops, which involves visualizing your moments; in this case it would be your morning.
Take a seat, close your eyes and visualize what your “slow” morning would look, feel and smell like.
Feel the sheets and the mattress before you get out of bed. Feel the sunlight breaking through the window curtains, what familiar smells are about. Feel the sensation of the floor beneath your feet as you get out of bed. Experience your morning in your mind, and then get a good night's sleep and then keep that visual with you as you go through your morning.
Want to learn more about visualizing?
Check out Desiree’s work here -------> [click here]
2. Movement:
We often think of workout as a wellness routine to keep our physical health in good condition, but the practice doesn’t have to always be about burning calories to feel better about that ice cream you had yesterday.
Movement and intentional breathing elevated oxygen levels in your blood contributing to increased health benefits and stronger lung functions.
According to the American Lung Association,
“If practiced regularly, breathing exercises can help rid the lungs of accumulated stale air, increase oxygen levels and get the diaphragm to return to its job of helping you breathe.”
Some low impact ideas for movement:
Yin Yoga: developed for relaxation and restoration while maintaining the important connection to your breath.
Dynamic Stretching: 20 mins doing stretching techniques from Physical Therapists designed to help restore your muscles, increase your flexibility and allow your body to recover from routine exercise.
Breathwork: not a passive practice, breathwork strengthens the way we experience breathing at a deeper level that we do everyday. Most of us do not practice deep, restorative breathing, we actually typically breath quite shallow breaths.
Want to learn some more about the power of your breath? check out this post below.
3. Make a Plan….Yes!
Planning taps into the behavior of thinking of future events. Research proves that even just the act of making future plans contributes to lowering our stress and anxiety in the present.
Shevaun Neupert, a professor of psychology at North Carolina State University recently conducted a study in which the results proved that even just making a list of things you want to do even if you assign no dates to them is effective.
In her words, to “acknowledge the things you’re intending to do… The anticipation of something good is really powerful.” Having a list of things you’re committed to doing, even if you don’t know when you’ll do them, is in itself soothing.
So make a warm cup of tea, grab some paper and a calendar and start to make some plans.
Remember the very act of writing out plans makes you 20% more likely to make them happen. Learn more about that in this blog post here -----> [make better goals]
Every System occasionally needs a reset.
Most often it’s when life becomes a bit overwhelming with unexpected challenges or setbacks.
Try these 3 routines to help get back on track the best systems always evolve to meet the circumstances of the user.
How do you reset?
Share your experiences and tips on how to hit the reset button when your routines get off track.
Join the next Clubhouse session. Check it out here ——> [click here.]