And this rest is not only physical, which is also very important, but also mental. That is, learning to rest the mind beyond the body, and we all know how difficult this is. For the same reason, we will advance step by step.
How to Identify Mental Exhaustion?
Mental exhaustion is different from physical exhaustion because, in this case, you will notice that some aspects of your thinking have been weakened. For example, you may feel uncreative or imaginative. You can also identify mental exhaustion if you feel especially vulnerable or sensitive, perhaps as if everything is a source of stress, a consequence of an overload of emotions and work on your mind.
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Another key is if you feel that it is much more difficult for you to do the tasks that you could do more easily before because everything feels more difficult now than before. Similarly, if you don’t feel like thinking about things too much or want to disconnect from everything, you may need to rest your mind.
How to Rest your Mind?
Now that you know if it’s time to rest your mind, you may wonder how to achieve it. And the answer is that no, it is not always enough to leave work at a certain time of the day or try to rest by going to the movies. Resting your mind requires deep and complete relaxation techniques. Here are some options for achieving it.
Take a Break from the Screen, away from Another Screen
Have you ever had free time from work, where you undoubtedly spend a lot of time in front of a screen, and decided to distract yourself on another screen, such as the one on your cell phone? The bad news is that this method does not allow you to rest your mind. Aim for at least a few minutes a day to have a screen-free break to really pause the overstimulation of your brain, which also leads to addiction and eventually a lack of dopamine, which can make you feel more tired.
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Avoid Multitasking
When we are in multitasking mode, the brain works much more than when we concentrate on one task at a time. So if you’re trying to rest, try to do just one thing, whatever it is: walk, listen to music, paint, or eat. In this way, your brain will be able to rest much more than if, during the supposed rest, you force it to be attentive to many stimuli at the same time.
Establish your Hours of Greatest Concentration
It is likely that at some times of the day, your brain does not need as much rest as at others. For example, according to a study by Microsoft Research, some people can concentrate better in the morning than in the afternoon, so your breaks should be set accordingly. Thus, you can take advantage of your hours of greatest concentration to advance pending, but when you are tired, do not hesitate to take a few minutes to stop your mind. You should only do it at the ideal time for your own productivity scheme and for your personal needs.
Rest Walking or in Nature
According to the same study, the best way to give the brain a break is to engage in some physical activity or be in contact with nature. For example, workers who spend about 20 minutes walking in nature each day have much more energy and concentration at work, as well as more creativity. If there is no nature nearby, it is at least important to get some exercise to reduce stress and improve mental capacity.
Don’t Forget the Little Pleasures
Let’s say that there is a side of your mind that is constantly dealing with drudgery and being focused on what is most demanding on a day-to-day basis, but imagine that this is only one part of your thinking. How could you connect with the other, with the part of yourself that knows how to relax? Maybe through small pleasures.
Thus, if you know you need to disconnect from your constantly busy mind, you can reconnect with a little pleasure. For example, putting together a puzzle, having a cup of tea, or eating a dish that you like consciously You can even try techniques such as mindful eating to take advantage of those breaks and disconnect your mind from your worries.
