Do you feel like everything’s happening at once? Like every bell in the world is being rung at the same time, like all the alarms are blaring, and everyone’s moving and going, and there’s not a quiet moment to be found? How can you be expected to find time for yourself in a world that focuses on quick convenience?
Obviously, you can’t control how overstimulating the outside world is. But you can control your reaction to it, and most importantly, you can find daily pockets of comfort and time to slow down. For example, something I’ve been trying to work on for the longest time is fixing my screen addiction. It’s one of the main things that leaves me stressed, tired, and overstimulated. And let’s be honest, we’re all way too fixated on our phones. Staring at a bright screen two inches from your face all day will not help you or prevent you from feeling stressed or overstimulated. Most of the time, endless scrolling increases that stress.Â
It’s almost impossible to cut out screen time entirely, so I’ve focused on slowing down and savoring certain parts of my day, even the annoying parts. When folding laundry, I’ve started listening to podcasts I enjoy or watching video essays. This way, I’m not glued to a screen, but I still get to have soft ambient noise and a bit of entertainment while I get through my mundane activities. I’ve slowed down my showers and skincare routines, taking the time to really feel the lotion I’m putting on my skin, or admire each stroke of mascara I put on my eyelashes. I love taking my time when I cook breakfast and dinner, making detailed but simple dishes. Sometimes I take pictures of the finished meal if I’m especially proud of it. I’ve also enjoyed playing calm jazz music while making my morning and nighttime cup of tea, and I read the tea label to try and taste each flavor in the beverage.Â
These practices might sound boring. And to be honest, I don’t uphold them in every single moment. Sometimes I let my stress take over, and I basically just become a little ball of anxiety. I end up thinking negatively about all the things I have to do in my day, and I get overwhelmed. But I have realized as I’ve gotten older that the best things you can do for yourself are lectured to us time and time again. Slow down, get eight hours of sleep, and don’t be glued to your phone. Sigh. My parents were right.Â
But what about the overstimulating and deeply annoying things you just have to do? Grocery shopping, huge assignments, basically just being somewhere or doing something you don’t want to do. I’m a huge procrastinator, so this has been a huge struggle for me. However, this school year, I’ve noticed that forcing myself to just do the thing that I’m avoiding for just two minutes is extremely helpful. Telling yourself to “just do it later” never helps, so why not just attempt it? When you actually start doing the things you avoid, you feel a lot more confident about finishing them in the same session.Â
So next time you’re looking at the huge pile of laundry you have in your room, or that assignment you’ve been putting off all week, just deal with it. Get comfortable with the uncomfortable. And in those in-between moments, slow down. Savor them.Â