I don't know about you, but I need some more peace and quiet in my life. Why do days have to start with blaring alarms, only to be followed by busy commutes, and then long, stressful hours at work? Being an adult has it perks, but I'm very upset about the serious lack of relaxation.
Getting some peace is made even more difficult by our constant need for stimulation. Most of us do the old TV/laptop/phone combination so we can watch shows, browse the Internet, and text all at the same time. Then we complain about how "stressful" our lives are.
I'm super guilty of this, too. So when you think about it, us peace lovers are really ruining it for ourselves. We don't even realize that our loud and stressful lives are our own doing. This is good news, though, because it means we can also be the ones to slow everything down, and make a more peaceful life.
We can have nicer mornings, quiet moments in the day, and less busy schedules. After all, no one is forcing us to check our phones 24/7, book our calendars solid, and sit through noisy situations. Nope! It's completely up to us to choose a quiet life.
So if you're interested in a calmer, less chaotic lifestyle, then here are some ways to add a little bit of peace to your day.
1. Get Your Life Together The Night Before
You aren't going to have any peace, or quiet, if you wake up into utter chaos and disorganization. So plan out your day the night before. According to lifestyle writer Leo Babauta on his website Zenhabits.net, "An evening routine is ... essential to starting your day right. This might include things like choosing your three Most Important Tasks for the next day, so you know what you’re going to do when you wake up. [Or] it might mean getting your clothes ready." Basically do whatever you can to organize yourself at night so that your morning goes smoothly, and you'll be more likely to have a peaceful day.
2. Resist Looking At Your Phone For An Hour
I know, this one is tough. But think about how annoying your phone actually is — spam emails, whirlwind group texts, annoying voicemails. And then think how nice it would be to go without that for one hour. So peaceful!
3. Turn Off Commercials
Ever notice how TV commercials are, like, 500 times louder than the show you're watching? Clearly they want to get your attention, but really it's just annoying... and jarring. Don't sit there and suffer through the noise. Instead, mute the commercials and enjoy a few minutes of silence.
4. Have Tea Time
The countries that are obsessed with tea time are really on to something. Stopping everything in the afternoon for the sake of tea and a dessert? Sounds good to me.
5. Hide In The Bathroom And Refresh Yourself
Sneak away to that far corner bathroom where no one in the office ever goes, and give yourself a little spa makeover. Fix up your lipstick and spritz on some perfume. Or, ya know, just splash water on your face and stare at yourself in the mirror. Enjoy the quiet, and do whatever makes you feel good.
6. Skip The Little White Lies
You may be so used to it at this point, but telling little white lies throughout the day can really wear you down. As Mayra Bitsko notes on FamilyShare.com, "You may agree with someone just to please him, but down deep you feel otherwise. Hiding your true feelings to accommodate others isn't always the right way to go ... This in turn takes away from your peace of mind. Therefore, speak honestly. You will feel more at peace knowing you spoke the truth than a lie." So if someone asks why you were late to work, just be honest. If you don't know something, own up to it. You'll feel a sense of peace for having told the truth.
7. Don't Overbook Yourself
It's OK to turn down invitations or requests if you truly don't have the time. If agreeing to plans with a friend, or an extra side project at work, is going to drive you crazy, then there's no sense in agreeing to it. Instead, confidently say no and then enjoy your peace of mind.
8. Take 100 Deep Breaths
I bet right now you're doing that shallow, nervous breathing that many of us do. So go ahead and focus on your breathing, and remember to do so throughout the day. You can even turn it into a little ritual. According to Lori Deschene on TinyBuddha.com, "Take 100 deep breaths, counting 'and one,' 'and two,' and so on, with 'and' on the inhalations and the numbers on the exhalations."
9. Work On An Art Project
Remember the feeling of complete freedom as you sat in elementary school art class and just "had at it" with the crayons and markers? It can feel nice as an adult, too. As Deschene suggested, "Engage in a little art therapy; grab some crayons, markers, or paint and put all your feelings on the page."
10. Do Nothing
When was the last time you just sat somewhere and did nothing? No phone, no music, no magazine, no movie playing in the background — just nothing. When you're feeling less than peaceful, take some time to pull up a quiet park bench, or veg out on your couch, and stay there in silence until you feel a little more calm.
We live in a crazy world, so make sure you take steps to add a little peace and quiet to your day.
Images: Pexels (10); Pixabay (1)
