If there is one thing most of us living in this world right now have in common, it has to be the following: we all experience stress (and often lots of it!). The world is moving faster and quicker and it seems like our to-do lists are only getting longer and longer. There seems to be less time for rest and reflection, but the more we keep busy and the more stimulation we get in the outside world, the more we are actually in need of true rest.
There is a beautiful saying that seems to be passed down from Buddhists (there seems to be no definitive source) and it goes like this: “Sit in silence for at least an hour a day. If you don’t have time for that, make it two.”
The quote points to the fact that the busier you are, the more time you actually need to recharge. Your body and soul need this. Nobody can keep up being productive forever. I noticed I often get way more things done when I take the time to meditate more. Being in silence and recharging during the day brings clarity. It also lends room to spontaneous insights and creativity to arise in the blank space that is created by switching off the mind. It promotes relaxation and gives your brain space to process the impressions of the day so far, which will help you become overwhelmed less easily.
Are you someone who is busy or easily overstimulated? Be careful how you spend your time off. It is very easy to start reaching for your phone the second you have some spare time and start entertaining yourself with games, videos, social media, etc. There is nothing necessarily wrong with this, but it is important to know that these activities are not recharging you. Oftentimes when we are already feeling overstimulated we unconsciously reach for more stimulation (this can be in the form of reaching for a coffee or keep scrolling on social media). We do this because when we really stop and pause, we will start to feel how truly tired and overstimulated we actually are. If you want to break this cycle and start to gain more energy and start truly recharging, it is important to start being more mindful of this, so you can start making choices that support your overall wellbeing.
So, how do I recharge during the day?
You can add in a recharging moment by laying or sitting in silence in a comfortable spot (even if it is only for a couple of minutes). You can do a guided meditation (I love the guided meditations of Envol for this, check out this page to try them out for free!) or you can just lay in silence, setting the intention that you are recharging your body by giving it time to rest and recover. You can also go outside in nature, recharge in the sun (be mindful not to burn yourself), walk with your bare feet onto the earth (grounding), take a nice steamy bath, give yourself a little massage or even just read a book or enjoy listening to music for a while. Choose any activity that is not super stimulating, but rather giving you a chance to recharge. So that afterwards, you feel fully in charge of your day and energy again!