Are you burning too hot?
Last week this question totally grabbed my attention. I heard it on the radio while I was making lunch and it made me stop dead in my tracks to listen some more. As I tuned in to the interview it hit me that the answer for me was a definite YES!
What does being too hot mean? It means we’re just too bloomin’ fired up. In my world, that means there is often too much going on in my head. Being switched on all the time with sometimes not enough time to cool down especially before going to bed.
I bet you’re the same. That’s life for most of us, at least nowadays. Unless you consciously choose to break the pattern.
Did you know that most people check their mobiles at least 85 times a day?
This means we spend about 5 hours a days browsing the web and using apps which equates to a third of the time you are awake! This is according to a recent study by Nottingham Trent University. With so many things to distract us and occupy our minds is it any wonder we feel we never stop? Put simply this means we are almost on 24/7 fight or flight mode.
The result is increased cortisol levels and therefore you feel mega stressed!
And it is so easy to get caught up in everybody else’s hectic pace. Much harder to follow your own natural rhythm.
I’ve found that redefining my boundaries and imagining how I would ideally choose to look after myself helps. As well as changing and tightening up on what have become sloppy habits.
Here’s what I mean with some suggestions that might help you to cool down a little…..
- Drink plenty water
- Don’t watch the news just before going to bed
- Read something relaxing in bed instead of an exciting crime or thriller
- Think more about the content of what you’re watching on television in the evening
- Take a few moments at the end of the working day to be at peace perhaps reflecting on what’s been good
- Go for a walk in the middle of day or at the end of the day after work
- Get some fresh air
- Do gentle exercise especially if it’s later on in the day
- Meditation/mindfulness
- No emails after 6 o’clock
- No checking the mobile before bed
- Avoid FaceBook after a certain time in the evenings
- Drink herbal teas versus coffee
- Think about what you talk about late on in the evening, make sure it’s not about rehashing your day at work or something that’s stressful
- Eat at regular mealtimes
If you could choose just one thing to change from the list above which one would YOU pick? Doing one and doing it well is the best approach. Trying to do too much or too many puts you into overwhelm and results in that catastrophic feeling of failure.
Can you imagine just how amazing it would be to feel less fired up and to have more calm in your daily life? Surely that’s worth a shot.