How to reconnect with yourself

Being present and focusing on yourself is key to living a happy life.

Coming home from work on Friday and my head was pounding for the second time this week. At the moment I have a lot going on in work, I barley get a chance to breath and I'm feeling the effects of it on my body. That's why I knew I had to take time this weekend to reconnect with me and disconnect from masses of information around me. 

I think this can happen for many of us, we reach points in our lives when there is such much going on our minds and bodies feel completely shattered. We can't think properly and every limb feels exhausted. It's really important that we recognise when we feel like this because it's a clear sign we need to take a step back and find ourselves again. 

However, this can be a lot easier said than done in the modern world. We are use to the hussle and the streams of information every second, so learning how to disconnect from the outside, be present and go inwards can be difficult. But that's exactly what I'm here to help with! For this week's blog I have wrote about all the things I have found that work for helping me de-stress and reconnect. I hope you find something that works for you. 

1) Sleep

I let my body rest until it chooses to wake up. No alarms and no pressure to do things that day. Instead the focus is on the body and mind's recovery. However, I make sure I don't oversleep. Once I wake up , I ask myself 'Have I had enough sleep, I'm I just wanting to continue sleeping because I'm comfortable'. Sometimes it can be so easy to keep drifting off, especially on these cold autumn nights but oversleeping can actually make you feel worse and less productive in my personal experience.

2) Spending longer on my morning routine 

Many of us have jobs that require us to be in the office early. This means our morning routines need to be quick and efficient. When I have days to focus on me, I like to extend the activities I do in the morning. Whether it be exercise, meditating or putting on my make-up I really like to take my time with it, no pressure and just being in the present moment. Slowing down like this is key to helping your mind relax. 

I also like to do my routine without distraction, not watching anything in the background or multitasking. This is so I can be present in the moment and monitor my focus. 

3) Limiting social media use

Social media allows us to be pinged with information at an incredibly fast rate. We might not realise it but all this information its being absorbed, which can be a lot for our minds. So, when focusing on re-connecting I like to reduce my use of social media to as small as possible because I want to take control of how much information I'm taking in. I tend to give myself a set period to be online that day.

4) Do an activity you enjoy

Instead of scrolling on social media I like to focus on an activity, ideally one that doesn't require a screen. I personally enjoy creative activities like reading, writing and designing. This weekend I spent a couple of hours putting up Christmas decorations and designing the tree. It felt wonderful to be focused on something I could see right before my eyes. 

5) Spending time outdoors

As I mentioned in my blog on self-care, spending time outdoors is wonderful for your mental health. Again, it's away from technology and your focusing on the present moment. As humans we are connected to nature so it's so important to spend time in it. It might be more of a challenge in the colder and wetter months, but once you get outside you'll be so thankful you did it. No one ever says they regret going on a walk! 

6) Journaling

Writing is a great way to unload all the thoughts you have. I have recently got into journaling and it's made me realise how many thoughts we have that we doesn't realise are actually impacting us.  Once you hit the pen to the paper your whole mind can be unleashed. It's an amazing feeling afterwards knowing that it's not stuck in your head anymore. You also have the chance to look deeper into your thoughts and understand why things are happening or why you think the way you do.

7) Focus on food 

It's so easy to consume food without even thinking about it. I'm so guilty of this, sitting in front of the computer not even thinking about what I'm eating. On days when I want to reconnect I like to really think and be with what I am eating. This is because what we consume has massive effects on our energy levels and moods. When my body feels rundown I want to ensure I'm fuelling it correctly.

So there are my 7 ways to help reconnect with yourself after being overworked or stressed. Taking time for yourself is so important and so under valued in our society. I hope you can all take a day to yourselves soon and try some of these methods. I'd love to know your experiences and thoughts.

Until next week, 

Mx