Given the constant stream of negative news about the recent pandemic, it is normal to feel anxious and doubtful. Anxiety is comprehensible since it has turned our lives upside down and threatens our sense of security. It can be hard to get rid of those thoughts and feelings.
However, we can also use anxiety to develop habits that defend our mental health. So the next time you notice anxious thoughts running through your mind, try these tips on how to develop a clear mindset.
How to Develop a Clear Mindset
1. Voice Your Fears
If you find your mind racing towards darkness, stop and ask yourself what is worrying you. In many cases, recognizing the root cause of your anxiety can help you to put it into perspective and not be as bothered.
Some researchers analyzed the brain activity of individuals as they labeled their emotions. They found that labeling emotions reduces amygdala activation and increases engagement of the prefrontal cortex, supporting clearer thinking.
The amygdala is where the fight-or-flight instinct is activated. In contrast, the prefrontal cortex helps you to make decisions with a clear mind and reduces irrational behavior. This approach might not be useful in all circumstances or for everyone, so if you try it out and start feeling more overwhelmed, move on.
2. Distract Yourself
When you start to feel weighed down by your thoughts, it is high time to find something else to think about. Keep in mind that it is not suggested that you run from your responsibilities; instead, you take a break from them for just a few moments at a time to regroup and approach things from a different perspective.
Distracting yourself provides you the space and time you need to figure things out and focus on something less daunting for a while. Research suggests that shifting attention alters brainwave patterns and helps the brain disengage from overwhelming thoughts.
3. Make a To-Do List
If you notice your mind running with thoughts of things you must do, take out a notebook or open up a note on your phone and note down everything you can think of that needs to be done. Include everything from when you are supposed to work tomorrow to what you need to buy at the grocery store.
Once you have written things down, mark which one is of high priority and which one is less urgent. If you are using a pen and paper, add a star next to the urgent things. On the phone, you can make the urgent items in bold or add an emoji of a star beside them.
Avoid writing tasks vaguely—detail each step or related action to fully unload it from your mind. This can help your mental capability clear up and alleviate stress about forgetting responsibilities.
4. Practice Mindfulness
Getting angry or frustrated about ruminating often makes it worse. You can’t force your mind to go silent. The answer to it is practicing mindfulness. Particularly observing your mind and your surroundings in a relaxed and non-judgmental way.
Some studies have proven that mindfulness may help reduce stress, anxiety, and rumination. With mindfulness, we defer judgment and unleash our usual curiosity about the workings of the mind, welcoming the experience with warmth and kindness to others and ourselves.
Instead of trying to avoid your thoughts, gently observe them and notice how your body and mind feel, paying attention to sensations and mental activity.
5. Practice Short Physical Activity
Sometimes moving your body can help shift your mental state. Exercise is a self-help item that is a great way to be more fit and combat ailments. A little movement can help you to develop your mental clarity. This is particularly helpful if you are in the middle of racing thoughts and need to focus on something else.
Some physical activity can move your focus from your thoughts to your body. When you exercise, your brain produces endorphins. These chemicals in your brain can make you feel more charged up and happy. You don’t need to go to the gym for that. Research shows that even light forms of exercise—like walking or simple body-weight movements—can improve mental clarity.
6. Write Your Emotions
Writing about emotions can reduce stress and help people process difficult experiences for many (though not all) individuals. It can work because the act of thinking about some experience and expressing emotions is vital. Writing helps people to systematize thoughts and get some relief from a traumatic experience.
No one will read what you write. You might be angry, depressed, or sad. Whatever you are feeling, let them out. Healthily process those feelings.
Read More: 9 Traits of High Performers
7. Live in the Moment
One of the best ways to have a clear mindset is to focus on the current moment. Living in the present moment is helpful for having a clear mindset and offers a higher quality of life.
In research, Harvard psychologists found that daydreaming is linked with lower happiness levels. The study occasionally interviewed more than 2000 adults who reported what they were doing, whether their minds were drifting, and how happy they were. Most of the time, the participants thought about something other than the task.
According to the study, “the capability to think about what is not happening is a cognitive accomplishment that comes at an emotional cost.” The study also found that people who daydreamed less and were more likely to concentrate on the task they were doing in the present moment were more likely to be happy.
The main question is, how can you train your brain to live more in the current moment so you can more efficiently clear your mind?
According to researchers, pausing to focus on your senses activates attention-related networks in the brain and reduces activity in the default mode network, which is linked to mind-wandering. This is why micro-meditations can be effective.
8. Get Into Nature
Research indicates that ‘forest bathing’—spending time in wooded areas—helps reduce stress and improve mental clarity. Nature can be beneficial for our mental health. It reduces cognitive fatigue and stress and can help combat depression and anxiety. Being in nature lets the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s command center, rest.
A study analyzed mental health data from 10,000 city dwellers. They found that people living near greener spaces reported fewer mental issues after adjusting to various factors. Most researchers believe that nature works mainly by lowering stress.
Why Mental Clarity Is So Important
When you feel your brain is getting foggy and you are riddled with indecisiveness, it is hard to make choices that get you to where you want to be or get what you want to have. Your inner monologue may seem overwhelming to the point where you can’t finish a thought, let alone anything on your to-do list.
Without a clear mindset, it’s easy to get yourself out of things and get frustrated when you can’t focus. You are more likely to surrender to your inner critic and forget about the goals you are working towards. Mental clarity means having a concentrated and clear state of mind. When you have mental clarity, your mind isn’t covered with indecision, what-ifs, overwhelm, or anxiety.
With a clear mind, we don’t worry about what could go south because those thoughts don’t have any time to entertain negativity. We are ultimately capable of taking action more easily, knowing that we are doing things that line up with our goals. If you are wondering how to develop a clear mindset, here are some simple yet effective steps.
