Giving your brain a rest can have significant positive impact on your mental and physical health. Unfortunately, the natural state of your brain is to generate thoughts. The only way to clear your mind is to actively do something to make that happen. Your brain will just continue to make noise if you try a passive approach.
Use these tips to clear your mind and give it the rest it deserves:
(1) Meditation. One of the reasons for meditating is clearing the mind. The other options on this list accomplish this as a side effect. Meditation is as simple as can be, but deceptively challenging. It challenges your mind and your body. It’s not easy to sit still for an extended period of time, but that’s part of the challenge. (2) Exercise. Strenuous exercise is a great way to clear your mind. There’s something about using your body that stops the chatter going on between your ears. I also find that working out hard requires all of your focus is on the exercise. (3) Walking. A nice walk, especially after dark or before sunrise can be very calming. The dark helps because you’re less visually stimulated. The repetitive nature of walking can be an effective way to clear out the cobwebs. Your brain is also busy moving your feet and maintaining your balance. (4) Doing something exciting. It’s believed that many people are attracted to extreme sports like BASE jumping because of the clearing effect it has on the brain. If you leap off a skyscraper with a parachute on your back, you’re not worrying about paying the water bill at that moment. Doing anything scary or intense can accomplish the same thing. What would you consider to be an intense activity? Why not give it a try? (5) Mowing the grass. A monotonous activity can also be helpful. This includes driving in low traffic situations, taking a shower, or washing the dishes. This gives your mind an opportunity to partially shut down and relax. (6) Mindfulness. Any activity can help to clear your mind if you focus fully on it. You can experience a clearing of your mind while changing your oil, reading a book, or doing laundry. Focus is one way to clear and calm your mind. (7) Playing with a pet. Pets are soothing and enjoyable. Sitting on the deck with your dog or curled up on the couch with your cat can be a soothing activity. There’s something special about pets. They make few demands and are always happy with you. If only people were so easy! (8) Declutter. Cleaning up your home or space where you work can do wonders for the thoughts racing around in your head. A clean and tidy space creates calm and serenity. If you declutter mindfully, you’ll be getting twice the benefit. (9) Make lists. When you have a lot to do, your brain is working overtime to keep everything straight. Using a simple list can empty out your brain. You won’t believe how much this can help. Lists can release a lot of resources being used by your brain. I always carry a notebook with me so I can quickly jot things down. I also use my smartphone to capture in order to easily access online later. Try to clear your mind at least once each day. You’ll find over time that it will naturally calm down, but it takes time. Our brains are thought-producing machines that can run wild if not managed. Clearing your mind is an active process. There are many ways to accomplish it. Experiment and discover what works for you.
