How to Think Clearly by Clearing Your Mind in the Moment



How to Think Clearly by Clearing Your Mind in the Moment

Step 1

Take a moment to breathe. If you find yourself anxious, distracted, or unable to focus, stop what you are doing and take a few deep, slow breaths. Breathe in through your nostrils, then breathe out slowly through your mouth or nose.
If you can, sit or lie down in a quiet, comfortable place for a few minutes while you do this. Close your eyes and try to concentrate on the sensations of your breathing.
Deep breathing sends more oxygen to your brain and signals your mind and body to relax. This can calm your racing thoughts and make it easier to focus.

Step 2

Deal with your physical needs if you can. It’s hard to concentrate and think clearly if you’re physically uncomfortable. Take a moment to mindfully assess how you’re feeling. Close your eyes and make note of any sensations you are experiencing, and do whatever you can to make yourself feel more comfortable. For example:
If you realize that you feel hungry, take a break and have a nutritious snack.
If your muscles feel tense, do some stretches.
If you’re cold, turn up the thermostat or put on a sweater.
Image titled Think Clearly Step 3

Step 3

Move to a quiet space if you have to. Stop and listen to the noise in your environment for a moment. If there’s a lot of background noise (like people talking, a TV or radio playing, or traffic sounds), then this might be stressing you out and making it harder for you to focus.If you can, go someplace quieter so that you can concentrate on your thoughts.
If you can’t move to a quieter space, you might be able to do things to make your environment less noisy. For example, you could close a window or door that’s letting in noise, turn on a fan or other source of white noise, or listen to quiet music over headphones.

Step 4

Make a to-do list. Writing down what you need to do can help you organize your thoughts and develop a clear plan of action. Think about the steps you need to take to complete the task at hand, and write them down. If you’re having trouble focusing because of all the other tasks you need to do, write a more general list for the whole day.
To-do lists not only serve as a guide for your thoughts and actions, but also help you focus by taking your mind off of incomplete jobs that are worrying you and making it hard to concentrate on what you’re doing now.
Make sure to keep your list specific and realistic.Instead of putting something big and vague on your list like “Clean the house,” use smaller and more immediately attainable goals like “Wash the dishes” and “Vacuum the living room.”
Try to put the most important or urgent items at the top of your list.

Step 5

Write down your thoughts and feelings. If you’re stressing out or dwelling on things, it can interrupt the flow of your thoughts and make it hard to think clearly. Take a few minutes to jot down what you’re thinking and feeling in a journal, in a computer document, or even on a piece of scratch paper. Getting your thoughts and emotions down on paper can make them feel less overwhelming and help you understand them better.
Writing down what you’re thinking about can help you identify what specific things are worrying or stressing you. This can also be an opportunity to brainstorm immediate actions you can take to put your mind at ease.
Even if you can’t address whatever’s bothering you right now, writing it down can help get it off your mind for a bit so you can concentrate better on the task at hand.

Previous
Next Post »

Popular Posts