Small Habits to Calm the Mind, Found During 'Time Spent Doing Nothing'
I am documenting the process of balancing my mind and body through daily walks and small habits on note.
I would be happy if this could serve as a trigger for someone to feel like it's okay to take a little break.
Today, I'm talking about the small habits that helped me calm my mind when I encountered 'time spent doing nothing'.
1. Sleep as much as you can
In my case, I chose to take time off work, so I had the time, and I decided that first and foremost, I would just rest.
When I tried sleeping as much as I could, I realized that my average sleep time was about 9 to 10 hours.
I was a little surprised to find out that I was actually a long sleeper.
I also realized once again that I am not a morning person, and that my mind and body function better at night.
(This isn't to say that being a morning person is good and a night owl is bad; I feel that everyone has their own 'time of day when they are most productive.' In my case, I've always been the type to hit my stride in the evening, even at work.)
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2. Eat only when you are hungry
Since I wake up around noon, my first meal is almost always 'lunch'.
I kept the menu somewhat fixed so I wouldn't have to worry about what to eat.
I try to eat what I feel I can choose for myself, at my own pace.
Right now, I feel that two meals a day is just right for me.
I used to assume that 'three meals a day is the norm,' but I realized that didn't suit me either.
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3. Decluttering and walking
The mind is invisible.
So, I started by cleaning and decluttering, trying to tidy up my visible surroundings little by little.
Perhaps because I've worked in jobs that prioritize others, I tended to put myself last, and my room was cluttered with many things.
For the past few years, I haven't liked how I look in photos, and I was starting to feel uncomfortable with my own appearance, especially as my back began to round.
At the time, I had the mindset that 'if I'm not doing anything, I should lose weight,' but looking back, that might have been a bit extreme.
However, I did feel uncomfortable with myself as I was, and I wanted to do something about it.
'I want to live the second half of my life—which isn't that short—without hating myself'—perhaps that feeling was starting to sprout little by little.
First, I started walking as a daily routine.
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Conclusion
None of these are special things, but they were important choices for me at the time.
What I am writing here is 'the right answer for me,' and of course, it is not necessarily the right answer for anyone else.
So, I won't go out of my way to talk about things like 'sleep aids that guarantee X hours of sleep' or 'this is the ultimate breakfast!' Haha.
I believe that everyone has a way that suits them, and if that person is satisfied with it, then that is fine.
Next time, I plan to write about 'returning to myself by walking'.
Thank you for reading again today.