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The most important day, is the day you decide your mental health is what matters most. Once you create this mindset shift, you'll find quite a few things get easier to manage:
I think so much of the time, as women, we feel like putting ourselves first is somehow selfish. But, it's not. It's actually healthy! How can you continue to give the world from an empty cup? I certainly couldn't. I was at the rock bottom of my priority list. My cup was so empty when I first recognised my mental health was a problem, I couldn't even muster the energy to get out of bed to feed my 3yo son. (Tap to listen to my story...) Your Mental Health Matters.My first (and biggest!) mindset shift was recognising that I was the only person who could actually change that situation. No one was coming to fix me. No one was coming to save me. I had to be the one who decided enough was enough, it was time for something to change. My wish is that I can empower you with 5 Simple Questions for Checking in on Your Mental Health so that your life doesn’t get to its lowest point, before you decide it’s time for something to change. Let's get into it: 1. How am I feeling emotionally right now? Checking in on your emotional state is an important step in assessing your mental health. Ask yourself: “How am I feeling in this moment?” “How long have I been feeling this way?” In times of external stress, we often deny our emotions, push them down and say, “I’ll deal with that later, I don’t have the time for this”. The funny thing about emotions is… we have to feel them, to heal them. Our emotions will continue to arise, in small or big ways, until we do. And at some stage they could even become super overwhelming - anxiety, anger, frustration, sadness – derailing you from every day life. 2. Am I taking care of my basic needs? Mental health is closely intertwined with our body’s wellbeing. Your body may begin to show symptoms of poor mental health before you even realise it consciously. Muscle tension, pain, feeling restless, headaches, insomnia, appetite changes are all key symptoms. Ask yourself: "Are you getting enough sleep, skipping meals, eating balanced meals, and engaging in regular exercise?" Neglecting your body’s basic needs can contribute to fatigue and the body’s stress. If you are not well slept and nourished, the mind has less resilience and finds it harder to process stress and emotions. 3. Am I managing stress effectively? Are you feeling overwhelmed and constantly under pressure?
Take a look at your coping mechanisms and self-care practices. Health stress management can be as simple as making time to move your body, meditate, journalling your thoughts or connecting with a friend – after a rough day. 4. How are my relationships influencing my mental health? Our relationships and the people in our life play a crucial role in our mental health. Ask yourself “Do you feel supported, valued, and respected?” “Do the people you spend time with uplift you, or drain you?” “Is this connection healthy for me right now”? Perhaps it’s time to create a healthy boundary and/or take some time away from the people who maybe feeling toxic right now, to recoup your energy. 5. Am I engaging in activities that bring me joy and fulfilment? When our external stress is at capacity, we forget about the simple act of doing things that bring us joy. If you are giving out all your energy to work, or other people’s problems – life is going to feel bleak really quickly. Ask yourself: “When was the last time I did something just for the fun of it?” “What is one thing that I could do, to bring more joy into my week?” If you’re looking for ideas for spending quality time with yourself, perhaps try one of these:
Remember, checking in on your mental health is an ongoing process. It’s essential to be honest with yourself and seek support if you notice any persistent concerns or challenges. There is no downside from ever working on your mindset or making some simple chances to your daily habits! ![]() About the Author: Janel Briggs is a NLP and Timeline Therapy Practitioner on a mission to support women across Australia and Singapore in healing their professional anxieties, insecurities and imposter syndrome to build unwavering confidence and self-belief. The goal is to level up your life and career by learning how to to live fearless and anxiety free! Connect with Janel on social media via Linkedin or Instagram.
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Have you ever started a new habit, or made a big change to your eating and exercise routines, only to quit a or few days or a week into it?? You really WANT the end result, you know that changing your habits will give you that end result, BUT making those changes EVERY day just feels so overwhelming or exhausating... I think we that we sometimes forget that: Old habits take time to shift, and new habits time to form. Nothing happens immediately. Our habit self is formed through repeated past experiences. Continual repetition of the same experience over and over again biologically imprints the habit into our brain and our nervous system. There is a learning process for forming each new habit. We have to RETRAIN our mind AND our body. And it's likely that we may not get it right first time! As we've been operating on this same cycle or habit pattern for a very long time. Where I see the biggest mindset shifts need to happen for life changing success: 1) Reframing thoughts of failure to compassion If/when you fall off the wagon it's so easy to notch it up as a "failure". Giving the green light to quit and allowing all the negative thoughts in "you can't do this, it's too hard, why try?". But instead... Why not treat yourself with compassion? Accept that everyone slips up, and use it as an opportunity to learn from it. Asking: What is working here and what isn't? * Did you make the changes and process fun? Or did you dread it? * Did you look at the change as a great opportunity? Or as a punishment? * How could you make this process easier and more enjoyable? 2) Small steps, give us big results long term What can you do to make the changes less "overwhelming"? Did you take on TOO MUCH change at once and exhaust yourself? Instead of trying to make a number of BIG changes all at once, is there a baby step you can start with? Start small! Break it down, and build your habits in blocks. What is one step you can take this week? Focus on that ONE THING for the next 3-4 weeks until you get really good at it. Then, you add another step for the following 3-4 weeks. If your habits don't line up with your dream, you need to either change your habits OR change your dream. - John Maxwell The truth is, habit change ultimately feels hard because it requires us to break free from our automatic behaviors and deeply ingrained patterns. Our brains are wired to seek out familiarity and routine, making it difficult to create new habits and replace old ones. However, if we can approach the habit change with more self-compassion and make it esier with smaller more achieveable steps it is possible to create lasting change! By doing so, we can break free from old patterns and live a happier, healthier, and more fulfilling life. If you have any questions or comments about this topic please reach out! hello@janelbriggs.com ![]() About the Author: Janel Briggs is a NLP and Timeline Therapy Practitioner on a mission to support women across Australia and Singapore in healing their professional anxieties, insecurities and imposter syndrome to build unwavering confidence and self-belief. The goal is to level up your life and career by learning how to to live fearless and anxiety free! Connect with Janel on social media via Linkedin or Instagram.
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May is Mental Health Awareness Month, aimed at raising awareness on the importance of opening conversations about mental health to help release the stigma. AND always a great time to prioritise our own mental health check-in. Most women I've been talking to share with me that it’s been a crazy start to 2023. Post-pandemic life is as busy as ever, we are back to rushing and packing as much as we can into every day, week, and month. Juggling work commitments, family, relationships, and social life. Keeping everything afloat and as best we can moving forward. With our constant connection to technology and the digital world, it can be difficult to fully take a break and give our minds the rest they need to recharge our energy. I recently went on a mini break, adventuring to the remote Pangkil Island in Indonesia, where I consciously decided to take a 4 day digital detox, for my mental health. I had noticed the signs of verging on the edge of burnout after an increasingly busy first quarter of work (and life!). Even coaches need "mental health check-ins!" too. I actually couldn't remember the last time I shut off completely from technology. I don't know if I've EVER done it for a longer period of time that 2 days since opening my first online business in 2014. That's when you know it’s definitely time for a digital detox. So, I told my clients I would be “offline”, left my laptop at home, and bit the bullet! I put my phone on airplane mode for 4 WHOLE days. And, WOW. All I can say is that is was TOTALLY FREEING to not be "ON" 24/7:
Imagine that! Now, I have to admit I already have strong boundaries with my phone and technology. But I found being completely OFFLINE was sooo good for my mental health that it was surprisingly HARD to come back to the social media and online world after 4 days! I wished it could have be longer. The health and wellness industry tells us that taking a digital detox can have many benefits for our mental and physical health:
WHEN was the last time you took a digital detox? When did you last unplug from the matrix and reboot your system??If it's been a while, and you’re feeling exhausted, BUT find the concept of 4 days off the grid super confronting... here are four baby steps you can take for a mini digital detox: 1) Create a boundary around when you pick up your phone in the morning and evening Is 6-7am when you first open your eyes to a blast of notifications and emails the best way to begin the day? Could you not look at notifications until 8am? Could you turn off your phone for the night at 8-9pm? 2) Set time limits on your social media apps (you'll find this option in settings!) 3) Move all of your social media/email apps OFF your home screen to 2-3 swipe pages across If you're the kind of person (like me!) who cannot stand seeing a red notification and has to urgently actioon THIS really helps. 4) Pop your phone on DND for 4, 6 or 12 hours By setting boundaries with technology, we can improve our mental and emotional well-being, reduce stress, and increase productivity. You may not find it easy at firs to step away from your devices, but it is beneficial for overall health and happiness! Any step you can take towards a digital detox is going to be powerful, it’s a tool that can help you disconnect from the digital world and reconnect with yourself, your thoughts, and be more present in your surroundings. The ultimate goal is to create a healthier balance in our lives, where we feel more present and energised! Try one or two and reach out to let me know the outcome? All the best, Janel
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Are some people just LUCKY?12/8/2022 I have a question for you today, do you believe… some people are just lucky?
Do you believe that opportunities only come once in a lifetime? That your time is running out? Pressure to make big life decisions as you only get once shot? If you do… then I want to share something with you today. I had a conversation with a beautiful woman here In Singapore the other day and I wanted to share it with you. If you haven't caught up yet - my family has been living in Singapore since the end of March. We decided after living through the pandemic in Melbourne Australia it was time for a change, a BIG change. This woman reached out to me on Instagram and said “You are so lucky getting to travel and live and work abroad. I could never do that". And I replied: "Thank you, but it is not LUCK. Nothing we have created has happened by chance." It may look like I am the swan, swanning around on that pond gliding smoothly across the water. But, I can assure you that underneath the water I have been peddling my legs in momentum for YEARS. This is the outcome of doing the "inner work". This is what my peddling under the water actually looks like:
If you are feeling pressure, like time is running out, you might be in a fixed mindset that says "opportunities only come once in a lifetime". The truth is that opportunities come to us every day. And, every day we are given a choice. Are you running on autopilot, reacting and responding the same way you always have getting the same outcomes? Or are open to new perspectives, fresh ways of looking at life problems? If you need guidance here, a simple mindset shift can be created with this powerful affirmation: Opportunities come to me each and every day. I welcome new people and good energy into my life. I am excited for this amazing job opportunity and purposeful work into my life. Write it, speak it, repeat it daily for the next 90 days, and watch what happens. You’re beliefs, your thoughts, your words become the catalyst for all that happens in your life! I used this exact process in my morning routine for the past 90 days. I was feeling restricted by my dependent visa status here in Singapore being unable to work and coach the women I meet locally. Every day wrote in my journal and I focused my mind on what I really wanted. To help and be of service here helping women release their fears and anxiety. Then I submitted my application 60 days ago. I found out this week that my Singapore business entity registration was approved! It all happened easily and effortlessly! I am grateful and beyond thrilled for this outcome. All that is happening right now in my life is another reinvention of the next phase of my life, where I am the author. And there is nothing more empowering than become the author of your life. I reinvented myself at 39 years old and I became the master of my emotions. I worked with an incredible mindset coach and I let go of my deep seeded fears. I started living to my true beliefs and values. I no longer operated on someone else’s belief system or programming. In doing so, the world opened up to me and at 40 I changed career paths to help women rebuild their self-belief. And now at 45 my family and I are reinventing the world we live in by being here in Singapore, following what lights us up - and now sharing this experience and culture with our son. It all had to start with me. No one else was going to save me or create this for me. So, my message for you today - is that if you are unhappy with any element of your life - you and only you have the power to change this. Time is NOT RUNNING OUT. It’s time to stop waiting for your luck and open your heart to the belief that opportunities will come to you. You have everything within you to succeed, at whatever it is that your dream of. They key is unlocking your best mindset. Releasing the mental blocks that tell you - you can’t. Reprogramming old belief and fear stories and learning how to shift your negative self talk. In doing this, you will become free to be the author of your life. It's your time to thrive. Janel Briggs THRIVE MINDSET COACH
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Prior to 2020 and 2021, whether we worked from home or from the office, we had natural buffers and boundaries built around our pre and post workday.
Pre-pandemic, your day might have looked like this: Wake up, go to the gym, shower, dress. Eat breakfast, maybe grabbed a cup of coffee, then out the door for your commute to work. On the way home you had alone time in the car, train, or tram. Got petrol, picked up the kids, grabbed a couple of things from the shops, maybe even had an appointment of some kind (remember those?!). Can you see how these natural buffers in our schedules helped create boundaries in our days? Yes, you may have had a quick check of your calendar, scanned some emails, and thought about work before it actually starting, but you also had a set time to leave so you could get there on time. Your quick checks and scans had a time limit. They couldn’t go from “quick” and “scan” to “schedule” and “read”. And once you got to the office, you likely didn’t start working as soon as you walked through the door. Instead, you probably put your jacket away, had a chat and check in with your co-workers, went to the break room to fill up your water bottle, and THEN were ready to open your laptop for work. Again, see those natural buffers coming into play? Even once you were work, you STILL had some breathing space before actually getting into it. But then 2020 and 2021 happened, and most organisations moved to online/at-home workplaces. Your bed was your desk. Your home was your office. Your kitchen was your breakroom. Your lounge was your meeting room. It was nothing to roll over, reach for your phone and start reading and responding to emails. To walk into the lounge room, jump on the laptop and start working. No workout, shower, or breakfast. No coffee run, commute, or co-worker chat. And then there was the lack of real tea or lunch breaks. We started packing in Zoom meetings every minute of the day. There was no more “travel time” between meetings, so why not schedule back to backs? We may have even started working on weekends. We couldn’t go anywhere or see anyone, so why not keep plugging away at our projects and to do lists? Before 2020 and 2021, we had buffers where we allowed our brains time and space to wake up, start slow, and ease into the day. Then to wrap up, slow down, and ease back into home life. What I’m seeing more and more of in my work with clients, is that they no longer have set on/off office hours. They have no real boundaries or buffers before, during, or after work. And the reality of this is a huge negative effect on their mental and physical health, relationships, energy levels, and overall wellbeing. Can you relate? If so, and you want more energy and a clearer mindset, it’s time to get pro-active with how you structure time before and after your “working” day. Here are some ideas to get you started:
The key is to create space between work and home, so you no longer feel like you’re pulled from one thing straight to the next. You no longer feel like you’re rolling from one to do into the other, with no buffer or down-time in between. The habits, patterns, and routines you find yourself in today don’t have to be the ones that define you. They CAN be changed. They don’t have to be the ones you stick with. Start today or start tomorrow. Choose one boundary or buffer and (re)schedule and incorporate it into your day. After a few days of creating these buffers and boundaries you’ll feel more relaxed and in flow. Less stressed and rushed. More thriving than surviving. If any of this resonated with you and you’d like more tips on how to thrive, be sure to subscribe to my blog above, or take a look at my website www.janelbriggs.com where you can learn about my journal, coaching, and online programs. While some of these changes might feel a bit forced at first, the amazing thing is that we’re able to create new habits, patterns, and routines. We’re able to (re)create boundaries and buffers around our work and home life. ~ JB
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Still (exhausted!) working from home?17/11/2021 Even though most of the country has opened up, many of us are still working from home. Some by choice, some because we always have, some because you’re not allowed back into the office. Before the pandemic I reached out to over 2,000 women on LinkedIn and asked if they’d be open to sharing their personal experiences on key triggers for stress and anxiety. Almost half of the women (46.8%) said their career and job were the number one major source of stress in their life, followed by relationships and money. “Volume of work being overwhelming” was cited as the number one reason for work-related stress. Considering this was before the pandemic, these results tell us that, as a collective, we were already at capacity before 2020 and 2021 hit us. We were already at capacity before the definition of work norms and “office hours” became almost completely distorted. Before the lines between “work” and “home” became even more blurred. Give these a go
Like any work situation, working from home has its pros and cons. One of the differences with working from home is that you can have (or take back) some control of the home/work life juggle. As someone working from home and working with women who work from home for the past 5 years, I thought I’d share some practices I’ve incorporated (with trial, error, and practice) into my and my clients’ “work day” from home.
Build it in After looking over this list you might be thinking, “Great ideas Janel. I’m going to do them all!”. Stop. Pick ONE change and do that first.
I want you to succeed with these changes so they become regular habits and routines so they help signal your mind and body that the workday is over. That “home time” is here (even if you’ve never left it). If you’d like help introducing and incorporating these changes into your workday (with accountability!), be sure to check out my new program Burnout Recovery, a 4 week coaching program to help you reset your daily habits and look at what is potentially continueing to fuel this exhaustion. Working from home might be your reality in the short or long term. Let’s get you in the best work-from-home flow so you can thrive in work, home, and life!
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4 Ways to Avoid Burnout in Lock Down25/8/2021 ![]() Paying Yourself First. I was working with a client this past week, helping her comeback from burnout. An amazing Mum of 2 who works in a big corporate role - exhausted from years of juggling it all (who can relate?!!). In a couple short weeks of 1:1 coaching together she started to see and feel shifts happening in her life. Like each of my private clients we began with a 7-Day Mindset Detox. A method I use to pattern interrupt and break old habits no long working, to bring in new fresh ideas that recharge your energy. Packaged in an easy-to-follow step by step morning and evening routine. We chatted about what the real turning point was for her, and she realised that… "When I wake up and 'Pay Myself First' then I don't feel so depleted".I loved this analogy so much because I know that how you begin your day actually has a flow on effect to the rest of your day! Q: Are you paying yourself FIRST? Or are you waking up reacting and responding to everyone and everything around you? WORK, emails and notifications, the KIDS, the DOG – do all of their needs come first? What about your needs? Are you giving all day, and not replenishing? You see, when you pay yourself FIRST you create a magical buffer of time in the morning just for YOU (and only YOU!). And a few amazing things happen:
Committing to pay yourself first is about filling your energy tank BEFORE anything else. It is one of the key ways of preventing burnout in lock down. Here are the rest of my golden rules, learnt the hard way, through 6 lock downs )and 2 border lock outs)! 1. Pay yourself first
2. Nourish your body
3. Stop overworking
4. Get outside I did a poll last week on my Instagram checking in with my beautiful community in lock down. A staggering 72% of women who replied said they were NOT getting outside EVER DAY!
Take care out there, be kind to yourself (and others!). We are all just doing the best we can. ~ JB If you would like to know more about my morning and evening routines... Watch me talk about my morning routine here. Or, read more on this topic here! ![]() Here is what you will learn:
Here is what you will receive:
Every day, for 7 days you will receive:
Join me today!
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Finding Balance through Self-Care20/7/2021 For many of us, (especially those of us in Victoria and New South Whales) we’re working our way through a really intense period where life and everything around us is pretty out of balance. We’re home more and unable to get out and socialise. We’ve probably been eating more, drinking more, and exercising less. Our usual Monday through Friday routines were jumbled since many of us aren’t actually going anywhere. And if you love and are inspired by your work like I am, you are probably working more too… and therefore way out of balance. Finding balance, for me, is really looking at ways I can ensure I’m making time for self-care, exercise, and connection, all three of which the topics I want to share and help you with today. SELF-CARE While self-care might look like expensive day spas or trips away, it can also be as simple as thinking about one thing you haven't done in a really long time that gives you joy… and then doing it. It could be going for a walk, swim or bike ride alone. Reading a book. Writing out positive affirmations or colouring a mandala (both of which can be found in my Journal). Catching up with a girlfriend (on Zoom!). Savouring a takeaway cup of coffee at your favourite café (and walking the long way home). Self-care will look different from one person to the next, so don’t judge yourself for what self-care looks like for you. And remember: Taking care of yourself isn't selfish. It’s a necessity. You cannot grow, give, or show up as the best version of you if you're doing it from an empty cup. Want a trick to help set you for successful self-care? Communication. Sometimes it takes communication with the other people we live with, to let them know about our intentions so that they can a) help us keep committed and encouraged and b) so they know our plans and can adjust theirs accordingly. Once everyone is on board and they know how important it is, your family will adjust and make it work, especially when they see how good it is for you (and for them as well)! EXERCISE Our bodies were born to move. Exercising and movement not only help our physical health, but they help our overall wellbeing as well. Book a timeslot in your diary, tell your family of your plan, and then get out there and do it. Walk, jog, run, ride, swim, stretch, lift weights (at home for now). Head to the gym (when they reopen), the ocean or park. Roll out your mat, get your yoga blocks, pillows and straps ready. Or maybe now is the time to try something new. A new activity (stand up paddle boarding anyone?), a class or online exercise program. What can you do that you may have never tried before? I signed up for online hip-hop classes to bring back some fun on there dreary Melbourne winter days... I'll let you know how I go! (lol). And perhaps most importantly ask yourself - what do you WANT to do? Because if you don’t want to do it or it doesn’t really light you up, the chances of sticking with it are pretty slim. So schedule in the exercise that will light you up and get you going. Here is a little video I did on this subject last year sitting in the thick of the pandemic... I feel like the message is 100% still true today! CONNECTION
We’re all humans here, and as humans we need (and crave) connection in some way. It’s also easy to let friendships and other relationships slip when we’re busy, feeling out of balance, or simply have kids and partners in our space 24/7. So here’s a reminder: you know those people who make you laugh, smile, feel understood, heard, loved and fill your cup?
Go for a walk. Have a picnic. Book in at your favourite restaurant for take away and have a picnic on the floor! Head out to the beach, park, or local trails when allowed. Try something new. Do the same old same old, just do something together. Not in the house! And remember, it doesn’t have to be expensive or massively romantic. It’s the time and connection together that’s important, not the actual activity or place. I challenge you to implement these three ways of bringing balance into your life by making plans to implement self-care, exercise, and connection into your day, week, of month. Schedule it in. Today. And tell your loved ones about your plans and priorities. Let them support you. And remember, I’m here to shift your mindset to THRIVE, so if you need additional help getting started or staying motivated, please comment below, check out my free value or subscribe to my blog to get tips like these direct to your mailbox. You can do this. Just pick one and get started! Take care ~ JB
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As a Mindset + Business Coach, the question I’m asked most often is: “Janel, what’s the ONE THING I can do on a regular basis that’ll make the biggest positive difference in my life?”. My answer? 100% your morning routine. The things we do every day make a difference. They make a difference to our mental and physical health and wellbeing, to our mindset, and to how we head into and experience the day. It’s the “little things” we incorporate into our routines and practice every day that can make the biggest overall difference. Now the tips and suggestions I’m about to share with you probably aren’t anything new. Many of us already KNOW the practices that are good for us, the trick is actually DOING those things. Meditate, journal, exercise, eat well; we know these are building blocks to thriving and making us feel better. The difficulty is putting one foot in front of the other to get started… and then to keep it going. ![]() Sometimes the biggest block is that it all just seems so overwhelming… if I'm going to start a new morning routine, then it means I have to get up at 5:00am. Then I need to spend an hour and a half doing ALL THE THINGS to fill my mind, move my body, and get ready mentally and physically for the day. And next? Wham, there's an extra hundred million things to add to an already full morning. Enter your mind saying, “This is too hard. There’s too much to do. Forget it. No deal.” Now stop. First, don't think about the 50 million things you have to do tomorrow, this week, this month, etc… Instead, focus on what you can do TODAY. Focus on the one LITTLE thing you can do today, that can be incorporated and repeated tomorrow, and the day after. Focus on the ONE THING you can do today, incorporate it slowly and gently into your morning, and then become consistent at it over time. If you have one of my Learn to Thrive journals you know all about incorporating small changes over time. I call the morning routine “Five to Thrive”, and once you’ve gently incorporated all five into your morning routine it will look like this:
Now you try. Start with waking up just 10 minutes earlier tomorrow and choosing ONE THING (not ALL the things!) to add in. After you’ve chosen this one thing, do it consistently for the next 30 days. Do this one thing (and only this one thing!) until you’re comfortable with it. Only when you’re comfortable with it is it time to incorporate something else. So now that you’re comfortable with it, the next day you get up another 10 minutes earlier, and add ONE more thing, commit to it for the next 30 days, and so on. Does this seem slow? Maybe. But see it’s all about baby steps and simplicity. No complexity and no overwhelm. We’re aiming for one thing to be incorporated slowly and steadily over time. And the compound effect of this gentle routine on your mindset? Trust me, it is truly, truly incredible. Watch full video here for more tipsYou start feeling more comfortable and confident in yourself and in your days. You wake up each morning, practice your routine and eventually find that you feel amazing. You feel amazing and your days and weeks and months are running smoother because you've been meditating every day, been writing in your journal every day, been moving your body every day, been eating a nutritious breakfast every day, been listening to music every day.
This compound effect of all these “little things”? AMAZING! Feeling motivated to get started? Do it! Not so motivated? Don’t wait! Why? Because you may never feel motivated to start, especially if it’s something new (or involves getting up earlier). Instead, take the leap, set your alarm, and jump in. Choose the one thing you’re going to start with and just start. Will it be easy? Maybe. That’s why taking gentle steps over time helps. But sometimes however you might need additional support along this morning routine journey. If this is the case, follow me at janelbriggs_thrive on Instagram and see how I use the "five to thrive " method or simply email me, hello@janelbriggs.com - I'd love to hear from you! Take care, JB
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Are You Overstimulating Your Mind?21/8/2020 I know in we are knee deep in the age of “personal development” everyone wants to learn and grow and heal themselves! Which is AMAZING. But, there is actually an information overload happening. We are CONSTANTLY consuming information, and our brain just can’t keep up. We have over 2 million bits of information coming at us every second, your brain is constantly processing. Information comes in from all of our senses. From the sounds we hear, sights we see all around us, feelings and emotions we are feeling, our body's response to the food we've eaten, to what you are touching or sitting on. Our brain can actually only to process 148 bits of information every second. Because of this the rest of the information coming in gets deleted distorted and generalised. So, if you are a person that loves to "MULTI TASK LIKE A BOSS!" and keep up the HUSTLE to get things done… the truth is you are on the fast track to burnout. And in my experience, this is where that unsettling feeling of not being FULFILLED in life comes from. We are spreading ourselves so thin, we have so much processing going on in our mind - we cannot literally be in the present moment to find JOY. What am I talking about? People today (me included!) are glued to our screens, either on zoom meetings, our laptops, social media or TV for the most part of our day. Most of the time we have multiple screens going at once. How many times have you been watching a show and scrolling Instagram or Facebook at the same time? Listening to the news show in the morning and reading on your ipad at the same time? Or, attempting to do 3 things at once - podcast going, finishing a work email and making dinner all while juggling the kids or our partners needs? We think the more we consume and "fit in" the better off we will be. IT IS JUST TOO MUCH. ![]() "Your mind is like an instrument, a tool. It is there to be used for a specific task. And when the task is completed you lay it down”. - Eckhart Tolle There is an incredible book by Eckhart Tolle called THE POWER OF NOW. The essence of the book Eckhart shares through his research that the only way to find fulfillment and feel joy is literally being present in the now. Not 5 steps back in the past processing old hurts and emotions. Not 5 steps ahead in the future worrying about all the "what if's". Not with your head being flooded with an overload of information all the time.. It is about being here and now, NOT multi-tasking every moment of the day. I used to cram in audio books and podcasts to every bit of space I could, while cooking, while cleaning, while doing the laundry, while driving. Then at night I would be watching TV flicking through You Tube videos or Instagram. I was mentally and physically EXHAUSTED, and I had no idea why. I wasn’t sleeping, I felt wired. I would reach for sugar to pick me up in the afternoons. The lack of sleep funks up our emotions, responses and reactions. I know you are probably thinking I have so much to do! And we often feel time is running out. But, it’s not. Everything happens and gets done on time, when you allow it. How do you do that? You focus on one thing at a time, you be realistic with your time frames of what you can get done. And some things will have to go on the back burner. The key is really two things: 2. Make it a priority to build in pockets of quiet time, down time for your brain to process If you have so much noise coming in then you aren’t allowing the time and space for creative thoughts to come out. Get out in nature go for a walk, without the head phones. Take yourself out for lunch, and just be present. I could never work out why I literally have the best ideas in the morning while having a shower – does that happen to you too? Then, I realised it is because it is the ONLY time of the day I was doing 1 thing at a time and having a shower you block out all the external noise! Get it?! Thinking time, processing time is gold. 2. Stop multi-tasking everything, every hour of the day Yes at times you’ll have to juggle, that is for sure. But this notion that we, as women have to hustle and grind and work harder and do more to succeed is such a masculine energy. Or the feeling that WE have to do it all and be responsible for it all is crazy! Sometimes I actually have to say to my husband – not now, I am doing this and I can only focus on 1 thing! He was shocked when I first told him. Because of course I was the ultimate multi-tasker and the holder upper of everything. Watch full video HERE
Focus on 1 thing at a time, with the intention of being present. And see how different that feels, less stress producing it feels. AND how much more productive you actually are. Just like you prioritise work, or the kids or your dog, or exercise. You also need to block time for Personal Development, and also allow space for silence and processing time. You will likely have to get better at time blocking. Start with a baby step – which might look like choosing 1 thing this week, that you would normally be multi-tasking and just focus on that one thing. Allow the silence and thinking time to seep in. Calming the mind, is never a bad thing! Email me or comment below with any questions on this topic? If this resonate with you today please tell me what is your first step going to be to reduce the over stimulation this week? |