✨ Finding Space ✨

We live in a world of constant stimulation and distraction. Endless messages via text, WhatsApp, email, social media.
A barrage of negative news and controversy. Plus the individual stresses and pressures everyone faces in one way or another.
It can all feel overwhelming sometimes.

Having experienced burnout I’ve found it essential for my health to get away from all the noise of the world. Often. Little breaks to beautiful places are brilliant but not always possible for a heap of reasons.

So here’s a few things I do to create headspace, maybe some will help you too:

• Regular times with my phone off, not on silent or do not disturb, actually OFF. Honestly, the world won’t end, you aren’t that important (in a good way!)
• Tech free bedroom, bedrooms should be a sanctuary away from the hustle of the world. No, you don’t NEED your phone as your alarm, get a clock.
• Exercise. Get moving, do something that you enjoy, it will usually make you feel a whole heap better. Walking the dog is a winner for me!
• Get comfortable with not replying straight away. You are not obliged to respond to peoples messages immediately, even if they know you’ve read it. We did used to manage before we were all constantly available, honest.
• Clear and consistent boundaries. This is a big one for me. It’s ok to say no, it’s ok to not always be available, it’s ok to have free time and not fill it. If you don’t respect your own space, other people won’t either.
• Respect other peoples space/boundaries and don’t take them personally. Do you REALLY need to send that message at 6am/10pm? If you don’t respect other peoples boundaries, why will they respect yours?
• Meditate. Not always easy and requires a bit of practice. If you find it hard, just spend a couple of minutes focussing on drinking a cup of tea slowly, or on the flicker of a candle flame.
• Spend time in nature, often. It doesn’t have to be a far flung mountain range, local footpaths and parks are abundant in wildlife and nature if you pay attention and take your gaze away from your phone for 5 minutes…. And if you can’t get outside for any reason, images of nature are shown to have similar effects.

What do you do to find some space?