How To Take a Mini Mental Vacation
…and be in and out of it in just 15 minutes…
It is perplexing to me that, despite the rampant improvement of technology and emphasis on quality of living, more and more people are saying they are stressed, overwhelmed and experiencing anxiety with the world today.
In a recent study by the Nicholas C. Petris Center, 50% of college undergraduates said they felt overwhelming anxiety in the last year.
If technology has made a lot of difficult jobs easier and has created more time, what have we done with the time we have?
We have added more work to it. We’ve added more to be done within the shortest time possible. We’re doing this, doing that, never hitting the snooze button until our minds and bodies can’t take it anymore.
Many give the excuse that they must work harder so as to afford a vacation before they can get away from all the work. They won’t hit pause because they feel they don’t have the money or time for a vacation.
The point is that vacations don’t always cost a fortune, nor do they have to take two months.
You can take a mental vacation for free and be in and out of it in just 15 minutes.
A mini-mental vacation is just like a real vacation, a mental getaway. The twist is that it happens only inside your head. It may sound silly or ridiculous but, in practice, it is as potent as meditating. If fact, meditation can be considered a form of mental vacation.
Mental vacations are really an attempt to unplug, relax, enjoy, and rejuvenate yourself before heading back to everyday life. This is not the same as going on breaks only to look at social media or wallow in your thoughts. During a mental vacation, everything that is not pleasant is deleted — allowing only pleasant sights, sounds, thoughts, and feelings.
The goal of a mental vacation is to experience calm and peace; to put your mind in a state of harmony, and stability. In a sense, it is as beneficial as an actual vacation, except for the fact that you can’t take pictures.
The first step in taking a mental vacation is actually getting away from everything. You can listen to soothing music — headphones on, turn on music that relaxes you. It could be crashing waves, chirping birds, leaves rolling in the wind or gentle rain. A classical song is also a good start. Any peaceful sound that transports you into a place of mental serenity and tranquility will qualify.
If you play an instrument, you can find yourself easily lost in the state of flow. This will disconnect you from the worries of the moment and gets you to relax.
Read a nice book. Books are magical and a well-written book has the capacity to teleport you to another world, then keep you there. There are books that can change your outlook on everyday life. If you already enjoy reading, then try reading in a quiet place, in a relaxed position more often.
Take a stroll through nature — by the water, a garden, the woods. This helps you relieve stress and get out of your head. All with the added advantage of getting you some sunlight and exercise in the process.
Looking at beautiful sceneries or old pictures that bring up delightful memories can help you escape the hustle and bustle of the present. Consider going to an art gallery and getting immersed in the world of art.
Visualize a moment that makes you happy, grateful, or fills you with awe. It could be a memory or a fantasy. The idea is to try to relive the moment. This reduces tension and dissipates pressure.
If you have a lot on your mind, consider meditation. The goal isn’t to forget those things but to simply observe them and let them fade away. This is a way to free you from the influence of those thoughts, thus becoming unaffected by them. It takes a while to master meditation, but constant practice can help to maintain you peaceful in the chaos and uncertainty.
Even on “actual vacations” we need to get a healthy dose of sleep. This is the most luxurious form of escape. If you find yourself stressed during the day, go for a quick nap and recharge your mind and body.
You don’t have to be on an island resort to enjoy the benefits of disconnecting from work and reconnecting with your inner self.
So, go ahead, take a break! A mental vacation every now and then can save you from the long-term consequences of stress. And it’s free!
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Tiny Ways to Simplify your Life in a Big Way | by Rosa Diaz-Casal | Engage | Medium
Improve your Health by Getting Away | by Rosa Diaz-Casal | ILLUMINATION | Medium
