Slow down: Finding calm in a busy world

Life is busy. We all have a lot to do, and our lives are often filled with so much activity that it’s easy to feel stressed out and overwhelmed. While it's impossible to completely eliminate all stress from your life, there are some practical steps you can take to help you find calm in the middle of the chaos.

Make sure to get enough sleep

This can be a tricky one, given the busy nature of our world and the fact that we often have to stay up late to finish work or enjoy social activities. However, getting enough sleep has been shown to be an important part of finding calmness in a busy world. The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7-9 hours per night for adults ages 18-64, while children should aim for 9-11 hours per night (depending on their age). If your daily routine doesn’t give you at least 7 hours of sleep each night, then make an effort to change it! You may need more or less than this depending on a variety of factors such as your stress levels, diet and exercise habits, however, by making sure that you are getting at least 7 hours each night, you’ll be doing yourself a big favor when it comes time for restful relaxation.

Additionally, get more from every day by planning ahead. When it comes time for bedtime (or naptime during the day), plan out what your schedule will look like tomorrow, so that there aren't any surprises when it comes time for sleep later on down the road. This way if something unexpected happens during work/school/etc., then all bets are off. Uplanned surprises can lead us back into stress territory very quickly! Make sure everything is planned out so that even though unexpected things happen today doesn't mean something else will happen tomorrow as well.

Spend time in nature

One of the best ways to find calmness in your life is by spending time in nature. The fact is, nature has a way of calming us down and allowing us to focus on things that matter most. It’s amazing how much stress we can feel by being surrounded by people, but if we step away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it can really make a difference.

Nature has been shown to help people relax their minds as well as bodies, so taking some time outside can make an enormous impact on your mental health. You might not realize it now, but spending even just 30 minutes outside will give you a positive boost—and this could help improve how you handle stressful situations later in life!

Mini Digital Detox

A digital detox, or digital declutter, is the act of reducing your screen time. It's not only a fun way to reconnect with yourself and your loved ones, but it can also help you get more done in less time.

There are multiple ways to reduce your digital usage:

• You can start by cutting down on the amount of time you spend on social media. Try setting limits for yourself and sticking to them—even if that means deleting some apps from your phone altogether (if you've ever been tempted by those five-minute Instagram breaks).

• If you want to take things further and reduce the overall amount of time spent on all screens, consider logging off completely for certain hours each day—or even an entire weekend! Some apps like Mudita Launcher let users set up daily schedules for their app use; others provide weekly or monthly options instead. Just remember that this isn't something anyone should do without careful preparation first; there may be important tasks such as emailing clients or freelancing assignments that require access at any hour but also require some flexibility within certain time slots.

• Turn off your notifications for a bit. No matter how peaceful or quiet your environment may be, if you’re constantly distracted by your phone, you’re bound to feel agitated. Respond to your messages when you have the time and space to do so—not when your phone demands your attention. 

Find a calm space

Sometimes, the best way to find calmness is to make it yourself. You can do this by finding a quiet place where you can sit quietly and just be. You can close your eyes, take deep breaths, focus on your breathing and meditate on a word, phrase or mantra. If you have time, try listening to music that calms you. Nature sounds are also great for creating a calm environment. Check out the soothing sounds included in the relaxation library of Mudita Harmony. 

Mindfulness & Meditation

You may have heard of mindfulness and meditation. Maybe you've even tried to incorporate both practices into your routine. Either way, it can be a little confusing to figure out how best to use these tools in your life.

Here's what you need to know: mindfulness is about being aware of the present moment and accepting it as it happens; meditation involves focusing on one thing in order to find calmness and clarity—a common practice is focusing on breathing or repeating a mantra (a word or phrase).

The benefits of both mindfulness and meditation include increased focus, increased productivity, reduced stress levels and decreased anxiety. If you're still not sure where to start practicing these techniques for yourself, check out some of our other articles connected to these two topics. 

Bottom Line 

The world can be a busy and chaotic place, but if you’re feeling overwhelmed by it all, there are some practical steps you can take to help yourself feel calmer in the middle of the chaos.

We hope these tips will help you find a little more calmness in your own life.

If you’d like to read more about topics connected to this subject, please check out some of our other articles:

• The many health and well-being benefits of daily meditation

• Discover How Deep Breathing Can Help You Become More Mindful

• Maintaining health & well-being in the digital era

• Mindful Mornings: The benefits of an offline morning routine

To learn more about Mudita, take a look at our website and our other posts.