8 Ways To Create Instant Calm This Week

8-ways-to-create-instant-zen-this-week
If you are in the midst of feeling overwhelmed with far too much going on in your life and too many cluttered surfaces, there are a few things that you can do to reduce that very quickly. No, it’s not going to take all the troubles away, but doing even one of these suggestions listed below is going to give you a quick boost of calm.
Give yourself a gift and do one of these steps each day over the next week:

  1. Remove clutter from surfaces. Surfaces tend to be the dumping ground for everyone in the house; walk in the door, set misc. on the nearest surface and set about what needs to happen at home. But after things have settled down, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the amount of items that have collected in that way. Grab yourself a box or basket and walk through the house collecting everything off the surfaces. Then walk through the house with the same box, putting the items away.
  2. Remove knick knacks and throw pillows you don’t enjoy. Sure, we collect these things to add some life and energy to our spaces, but knick knacks collect dust and start to look dingy after a while, and the throw pillows can get in the way and end up on the floor more often then not. If you love the knick knacks, clean them up, dust the surface they were on and put them back. But if you don’t love it, (regardless of who gave it to you, etc.) let it go.
  3. Deep clean an area. Most of us have areas of the home where we notice dust and grime more than others. For me, I see the dust under the wood stove when I’m sitting on the couch. When it’s not clean, it gnaws at me when I’m trying to relax! For others, it might be the bathroom mirror, or the dust on the baseboards. None of these tasks take much time, so this week, pick one thing that has been annoying you and give it a good cleaning.
  4. Get yourself a pretty plant. Plants have a way of bring fresh calm energy into a space. Seeing a bright green live plant when you sit down to relax is a pleasant experience and gives a sense of satisfaction. There are plants that don’t require much light, so they can sit in a room, even if they aren’t right next to a window. (Feel free to avoid this recommendation if keeping a plant alive gives you stressful thoughts.)
  5. Develop a morning routine. There is so much to be said about having a morning routine in place. If you struggle with getting the dishes done regularly, grab a chart set to help you establish that habit. Having an empty sink to start the morning means you start the day feeling productive and ready to take the day on!
  6. Make time for friends that fill you up. We have people that drain and people that fill us, schedule some down time with someone that fills you this week. Have coffee together, share a meal or get together and work on a project. If you have little ones at home, scheduling hang-out time with a girlfriend can be a great time to catch up on laundry. Yes, you heard me! We all have mundane tasks and are so much nicer spent with others. Take turns spending a morning at each other’s houses, have a coffee pot ready and while the kids play, sit down to fold laundry and visit. (Isn’t that a nicer way to do laundry?!)
  7. Write down everything that is bothering you. Otherwise known as a brain dump. Grab a notebook and just start writing those thoughts. Everything in your head that is swirling around: from the multitude of to-do’s to the things that are stressing you. Having them out on paper instead of buzzing around in your mind, is a huge relief. You can take this farther by listing all the things you have that only require a few minutes of work, and getting them done over the next day. You can also write all the stressful things you have no control over, and throw that paper away. (Or smash it, wrinkle it or burn it!) But that gives your mind a visual “letting go” of those things that do you no good to stress about.
  8. Get outside and get some fresh air. Even a few minutes of fresh air is good! Fresh air boosts your immune system, calms your mind and emotions and gives you energy! Instead of reaching for another cup of coffee or an energy drink, take a walk around the block. <source>


What do you do to create calm quickly in your own life?
 
 

About Rachel Jones

Hi there! I’m Rachel Jones, and I founded Nourishing Minimalism in 2012 at the beginning of my minimalist journey. If you're looking for encouragement in your journey, I created a FREE Facebook Group - feel free to join me there: Nourishing Minimalism Facebook Group and I share videos each week on YouTube

3 Comments

  1. Gloria on 10/19/2016 at 6:21 pm

    Brain dump. Make lists of things I want to do in the house, gift lists, grocery lists, and people to catch up with. I also figure out how to clear my Schedule if necessary. Lastly, a hot Epsom salt bath and a good book!

  2. Laura C Gaunnac on 10/20/2016 at 3:33 pm

    I read scripture. I set aside everything and just spend some time in God’s Word.

  3. Jeffrey Pillow on 01/06/2017 at 8:46 pm

    9. Meditate. First thing in the morning before you even get out of bed and last thing at night before you fall asleep. Zen to start and end your day

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