Detox culture is taking over.
However, it’s possible that we are obsessed with detoxing the wrong thing. Rather than tea cleanses, juice fasts and saunas choose a mental detox.
After all, our bodily functions can easily be impacted by the mind. That’s we feel fluttery when nervous, or tired when stressed. Decisions we make that affect the body – what to eat, how busy we should be – all come from the mind, too.
Do You Need a Mental Detox?
Unlike dietary detoxes, there really aren’t any dangers or ill side effects with mental detoxes. Therefore, anyone can and should mentally detoxify as they please. But here are some signs that you’re more than ready to make a change:
⦁ Frequent miscommunications and trouble expressing oneself
⦁ Inability to focus on a single task, no matter how important
⦁ Regular stress and chronic overscheduling
⦁ Weak immune system; frequent colds, flu, etc.
⦁ Trouble getting motivated or making decisions
All of the above are signs that you’re suffering from burnout. Fortunately, you don’t have to overhaul your entire life to begin healing.
How To Go On a Mental Detox
Ready to set new goals and move forward? Try any combination of the techniques below for more energy, focus, and clarity.
⦁ Quiz yourself. Instead of regular journaling, try making a list of questions to answer which can help you identify what exactly needs changing. Questions like, “How do I feel about my job?”, “What do I enjoy that I never have time for?”, and “What is holding me back from the thing I really want?’ are all good places to start.
⦁ Meditation/Mindfulness/Singing Bowls. Playing the singing bowl is a meditation and mindfulness practice in and of itself. If you struggle with making meditation a habit, play the singing bowl for ten minutes daily instead. This is highly advisable for those who feel like meditation is “doing nothing”. The sound of the singing bowl is unlike most other noises we hear during our busy day and can help engage other parts of the brain and nervous system for a very pleasant reset.
⦁ Go screen-free. People often talk about technological detoxing, and if you’re always in front of a screen, it’s worth trying. Place your devices in a drawer for an hour, and abstain from looking at the TV or computer during that time as well. Take note of how you think and behave when there are no emails or timelines to distract your mind with.
⦁ Revisit your schedule. Mental detox isn’t all about resting or inactivity; a lot of the time, it’s only about switching things up. Create a new schedule that gives you a break from your routine. Make sure the new schedule blocks out time for you to do something you want to do, not “need”.
⦁ Address the physical. So many external, physical aspects of our existence impact our mental state. Drive out to a park and breathe different air. Think about your posture, and deliberately change it for five minutes. Move-in ways you never have before. And then, think about decluttering your home or workspace.
A clean slate, a fresh start, new ideas. Finding calm, while restorative, can also be incredibly inspiring.
How do you clear your head? Let us know what you think of mental detoxing in the comments, and don’t forget to come back next week for more.
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