How to slow your brain down?
(Here are 8 tricks to try during & after work!)
I find my brain racing A LOT like it’s constantly running at 100mph…. I think working as an A&E doctor has only made this worse.
I’m working in an environment where I’m needing to constantly task-switch and focus despite all the noise/lights/chaos unfolding around me.
I feel like my brain loves the challenge of trying to excel with all these different stimuli but as a result, it’s got so accustomed to working at 100mph that it now doesn’t know how to slow down even when I’m not at work.
It craves over-stimulation, multi-tasking & speed in EVERY thing I do which is exhausting.
It’s forced me to try to stop my brain racing & working in this way and I’ve discovered a few different tips/tricks to help me which I want to share with you too.
During work….
Try to find "quiet spots" to do certain tasks so that you can have some moments without distraction (e.g. trying to find empty rooms or quiet spaces to write notes) and focus 100% on the task in front of you.
Take a "lunch time lap" (where you walk outside during your lunch break to create space between yourself and your work environment - even if it is just to the car park)!
Set Boundaries in your professional & personal life. These can include boundaries from social media, work (eg only taking on additional work which aligns with your values, leaving on time) & work colleagues (eg turning off notifications, not attending every social event if you don't want to).
Use 5,4,3,2,1,Done.. This is a breathing exercise & reset technique I use to help me quieten my mind & try to "close the chapter" on something that my brain is focusing on. It might be an argument, a situation that's worried me or if I'm just feeling frustrated because I'm leaving work 30 minutes late. I count down to 5 (with each count taking a 3 seconds breath in & out) then ending with a "done" where I actually say "done". It doesn't always work but more often than not it helps me to move on.
Change out of work clothes before leaving work (1 find changing out of my scrubs at the end of my shift really helps me to feel like the end of the day is "done" and that I'm leaving work at work rather than bringing it home with me).
After work...
Activities which act as a reset button (this might be going for a run, gym session, sports, yoga, meditation, reading etc. it particularly helps me if 1 do it straight after work..I think it also helps if there are other people around such as a sports class/ group activity as talking to others can really help to move your brain on from wherever it's been ruminating).
A 30 minute "no phone zone" which is where you don't use your phone for at least 30 minutes around your sleep (this means no phone immediately before bed or after waking up.. it creates space where l protect myself from overstimulation I get from my phone - and it has a number of other added benefits when it comes to sleep quality, mood, mindset etc).
Activities which force you to slow down (this could range from gardening to walking to painting to baking to doing a jigsaw puzzle but essentially anything where your brain is required to focus on one thing and the process itself can't be rushed).
As healthcare professionals (& anyone else working in a high pressured role) we NEED to look after ourselves.
We can’t properly look after those around us or do the job we’ve been asked to do if we don’t….
It can really help to keep adding different “tools” to our toolbox to help us do this and I hope at least some of these selection of tips/tricks will help you like they help me.
As always, let me know by sending me an email if any of this resonates with you!.
I will continue to share what I can to empower & motivate others to make changes when it comes to their careers, starting a business or trying to live a better life. Did you know I offer 1:1 coaching to help others make changes in their lives? This can be related to careers, starting a business or forming healthier habits. Please just send me an email directly to elle@gabrielletodd.com if this is something you feel you would benefit from & would like to learn more about.
