add conscious distractions in your life

It has been over a month of social distancing for most of us. Unless you are cooped up with friends or family members in your home, human touch has become a distant privilege for the single souls, especially for those whose primary love language is physical touch.

Chances are it’s not going to end soon for a majority of us, and yes these are some tough and surreal times that life is putting us through. Whether you’re a self-development person or not, I’m sure you would have cultivated some healthy coping skills so far in your life to go through adverse times. However, not all of these mechanisms may be available to you right now. All the recreation centers, gyms, yoga studios, libraries, social spaces and offices of therapists and counselors are closed. 

And this is why it’s important that we figure out new ways to adapt and overcome these challenging circumstances. We are nothing but the sum of our impressions and if we choose we can become the gatekeepers of our mind and steer it away from any source that is toxic and negative. 

We can all safeguard our mental health in these times of social isolation and uncertainty by adding conscious distractions in our daily life. One effective way is to feed your mind with positive information and inspiration. Fortunately, in this digital era, this is available to us in many forms such as books, audio programs, podcasts, online courses, documentaries and uplifting news stories. Other ways include incorporating moments of mindfulness and movement such as walking in our calendars, even if they are for little chunks of time. They can help us become more aware, active and alert. 

Personally, I enjoy taking short five to ten-minute naps in the afternoon during breaks and walking around listening to something educational and inspirational. Both podcasts and audiobooks are lifesavers for me right now. I think they are wonderful resources to deliberately distract yourself and keep yourself in the right state of mind, whether you’re at home, at home, or… at home.