Techniques and Strategies to Reset Your Mindset

When we find ourselves in a rut, rowing in circles, unfocused, stuck in neutral or sliding backwards and experiencing frustration, fear, even panic, there are some techniques and strategies that can help you get over the hump and back into flow again.  Read on for some techniques and strategies to reset your mindset!

Thank you to Lorae, Abraham, Colleen and Marino who joined the Mind Set Monday call this week.  Here are a few of the tactics that were offered to the conversation.  Who knew resetting our mindset could be this easy.

Ways to Reset Your Mindset

1. Take a Nap. I love this one!  Moving out of our stressful thinking beta brainwave state into slower theta and delta brainwave states as we nap provides an opportunity to rest and take our mind off the situation.   We can awake feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the issue we had gotten bogged down on previously.
2. Step Back. Getting up from the computer or walking away from a task when the wheels of you mind have ground to a halt.  This could look like getting a glass of water, having a snack or directing your focus to something that required less ‘brain power’ like organizing a drawer.
3. Lighten Up. This is an intention to let go of whatever is distressing you.  Stop talking about it, give it some space, let it be over. This can also be done as a visualization exercise – imagining that the heavy burden of thought is a big overcoat.  You can imagine feeling the weight of the coat, then visualize letting it slide off your shoulders and dropping to the floor.  Be sure to leave it there
4. Frame and Reframe. This is the willingness to consider something differently.  We have been advised to ‘social distance’ but that is not what we are actually up do.  We are in fact ‘physical distancing’ which means we can do all the socializing we want on the phone, over Zoom, FaceTime, etc.  In fact, some of us have never been so social.  I have attended virtual coffee meetings, wine gatherings, networking events and have even been invited to play a board game over the phone.
5. Work in Intervals. In the late 1980’s Francesco Cirillo created a time management system using a  kitchen timer to break down work into intervals – traditionally 25 minutes in length separated by short breaks. The Pomodoro Technique is named after the Italian word for tomato.  I use the Google timer and work in 48 minute intervals with absolute disciplined focus with 12 minute breaks.  Make sure you take a break on your ‘breaks’.  See #2.
6. Go for a Walk. This is my default mechanism to ‘get my mind right’.  While I do have ongoing yoga, meditation and EFT practices, when the rubber hits the road and I am feeling really stressed and confused, a good brisk 30 minute walk is the ticket for me.  I live by a river and there is something about observing the moving water that gets my mind moving too.

What’s your preferred mindset reset?

Our next  Mind Set Monday with Marlene is Monday, April 13th at 9:00 AM MDT.

You are welcome to invite others who you feel would enjoy and benefit from the conversation.

Click here to read another mindset related post on the blog.