While we are living in an era where technology is constantly evolving around us with the aim to make our lives easier, it appears that somewhere along the way, we’ve forgotten how to live. Nowadays, people are constantly in a rush to get to places and do things, but not many of us realise just how harmful all of that constant rushing is for our overall well-being.
Words: Emma Sumner
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That’s why all of us should aim at becoming more mindful of our actions and find a way to lead a more abundant life, but not solely in a financial sense. Here are some simple ways you can reset your mindset and reactivate your own art of living, so that your everyday life is filled with more positive energy and positive vibes.
1. Control Your Social Media, Not the Other Way Around
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The main issue we’re facing today is the ever-growing need to constantly update everyone around us about what we do, what we think and what we eat. We do all of this through our social media accounts, curating a seemingly perfect life for ourselves online. The thing is that most people nowadays have a borderline unhealthy relationship with social media, feeling almost a compulsive need to constantly check them and post something for others to like, re-tweet or re-post. However, if you fall down this rabbit hole, you could soon find yourself almost unable to get out. Instead, you should be the one in control and use your social media responsibly. Try to limit yourself to two platforms max and limit the number of things you post.
2. When Spending Time with People Forget about Screens
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Another common mistake many of us make us constantly checking our phones when we meet with our friends or family. This behavior prevents us from being able to fully commit to spending time with the people we love and having meaningful conversations with them. So, the next time you find yourself in a similar setting, try to avoid checking your phone – or any other mobile device – every ten minutes and fully commit to the conversation and situation you’re in. Even if you are away on business and visiting friends while you are working. To avoid having your phone constantly going off while you are enjoying your off time, you can buy WhatsApp numbers for your business phone. This way, your business calls and texts can all go right to your WhatsApp. You can disable WhatsApp notifications and then when you are ready to check your phone, everything business related is in one app, and you can check everything at once. That way the time you’ve spent with your loved ones will become much more meaningful. And spending truly meaningful time with the people we care about has proven to have long-term positive effects on our overall well-being.
3. Go Offline Every Day for a Certain Period
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One more thing you should strive towards is enriching your life by paying some attention solely to yourself. Self-care is an important part of our lives we often forget to pay enough attention to. Since we’re constantly in a rush, it becomes pivotal that we spend some time every day calming ourselves down and trying to relax and unwind. That’s why you should make it a priority that you disconnect each day for at least an hour and do something nice for yourself that will relax you and put your mind at ease. Take a warm relaxing bubble bath or create meditation nook in your home where you can unwind and take care of both your body and soul. Fill the nook with soft fabrics and scented candles, and don’t forget to add some Feng Shui plants that will only contribute to the zen vibe you’re opting for.
4. Feed your Brain Instead of Dulling It
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Furthermore, when that time of day comes where you’ve finished all of your daily tasks and it is now time to relax a bit and indulge in some activity that will put your mind at ease, many people choose to turn on the TV or stream their favorite show on some mobile device. This, even though it doesn’t feel like it, will make you more tense and nervous, instead of helping you relax. What you should do instead is try to read a book or choose to play a board game with your family. This way, you will be putting your mind at ease, while also engaging it in a fun activity. After this, you’ll feel more “positively tired” which should help you fall asleep faster.
5. Create a Bucket List and Aim at Crossing It All Off
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Finally, we sometimes get so caught up in the “here” and “now” that we tend to forget about our life-long desires, or simply put them off “until the time is right”. By putting things you’ve always wanted to do, try and experience off, you run the risk of letting them slip off your mind entirely. So, to avoid one day regretting not doing the things you’ve always dreamt of doing, you should create a bucket list and make it your goal to one day cross off all the things on it. The things on the list can range from something as simple as “finally try that sweet and spicy ice cream”, to more complex things, like paragliding or visiting the Great Wall of China.
Therefore, if you find yourself in a constant rush all the time, think about slowing down a bit. Leading a more slow-paced life is not only healthier but it will significantly improve the quality of the time you spend with the people you love.