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When modern life overwhelms you, use the OFF switch

It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed. And not just by our emotions.

Often, it’s the unrelenting pace of life that can catch us out; the barrage of sounds and sights and demands that all compete for our attention. Even after recovery, even when equipped with the calming benefits of mindful awareness, the world can leave your head spinning.

This morning was one of those occasions. The alarm woke me earlier than I would have liked and I was still tired as I hobbled down stairs. The dogs followed me, fussing me for attention both eager to get out into the garden for some early morning air. I should have taken their hint.

Yet instead, I switched to autopilot and even before I’d flopped onto the sofa, I was reaching for the TV remote control. Without thinking, I turned on the TV and instantly filled a corner of the lounge with sounds and images.

I was still trying to fully wake up, yet already my brain was having to work hard to absorb the noises and decode the flashing images. Although I could feel that I was struggling to process the stimuli, I didn’t turn it off. In fact, I let those sounds and pictures keep running in the background as I set about waking my teenage son and gathering items of clean school uniform for my daughter to wear.

With the noises of my children stirring joining the ongoing blare from the TV set, and the dogs still competing for my affection, I next began preparing my daughter’s lunch.

Head like a clotted ball of cheese

I know I also spent some time chatting with my son, but I can’t remember what about. Then it was time to take him to the railway station. So with my head still feeling like a clotted ball, I climbed into the car and drove the three mile journey.

Although I don’t always realise it, driving takes a lot of my concentration. Add the noisy babble of the radio with hyper-active breakfast DJs howling through the speakers, and the journey is hardly relaxing.

Things didn’t stop when I returned home. My daughter needed corralling; the TV was still bombarding me with sounds and images; both dogs wanted chest-rubs and my phone was pinging with alerts. I remember feeling slightly breathless and I had to make a conscious effort to unclench my jaw. I was stressed and overwhelmed.

It wasn’t until I’d made the second car trip of the morning to drop my daughter at school that I finally had the awareness to switch off my autopilot.

Rather than rush home, I took the longer but less congested route home. This allowed me to drive slower. I also lowered the window, letting in some refreshing morning air. But most importantly, I turned off the radio. The benefits were instant.

Give your mind the space and tranquility to ease down a notch

No longer bombarded with thumping music and yelping voices, my brain had the silence and space to change into a lower gear. For the first time since I’d woken, I was able to relax and take a breath. Several breaths, in fact. Long, slow and deep.

Until then, I hadn’t realised that my chest had also been so tight; perhaps that’s why I’d felt so breathless? A few slow breaths later and that tension had eased too. I arrived home feeling a lot calmer; pausing to feel the morning breeze on my face and listen to the gentle symphony of birdsong.

I’d left the TV playing and the sounds and pictures immediately demanded my attention the moment I entered the house. Falling under its spell would have been so easy – people of my generation are accustomed to having the TV as constant companion – but instead, I turned it off. The house was instantly silent and tranquil. Even the dogs seemed to enjoy the peace, quickly settling down for a snooze on the sofa.

I spent the next few moments simply absorbing the serenity; listening to the soothing purr of a quiet house; enjoying the restful calm that comes as my mind and body gently settles down. Eventually, I returned to what I often think might be the ‘normal’ state for human beings; a feeling of ease and peace that is so rare these days that we actually have to make a conscious effort to find it.

Find space and time: Strip away things that aren’t necessary

So what’s my message today? Simple – switch off from things that aren’t necessary.

Strip your life back from those sights and sounds and distractions that aren’t essential. Turn the TV and radio off. Or at least reduce the volume. Focus on doing just one thing at a time. And take your time; don’t rush.

Give your mind and your body the time and the space to function naturally, in a way the supports you rather than overwhelms you.

Modern life isn’t always easy and at times it can be extremely demanding. But you can still exercise control over of a large part of it. You don’t have to engage with or even succumb to the artificial noises and images and stimuli that are all sent your way. There is an OFF switch to many of these things. Often, it can really help to use it.

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