Young or old, it is important to support your mental and emotional wellness. Taking "brain breaks" throughout the day can help to reduce stress, anxiety and frustration. It can also promote focus and increase productivity. Another benefit is that it can help to foster self-awareness of your emotions such as "starting to get fed-up" or "getting off track .... losing focus" of what you are doing.
It can be difficult, sometimes, to find a good balance between stimulating the brain and those "brain breaks" .... and, allowing enough space for your emotions to exist and be expressed in ways that are healthy. So, let's discuss 3 ways you can develop healthy brain breaks.
3 Ways To Develop Healthy "Brain Breaks"
1. Work on learning a new skill
- engages your brain
- provides an emotional boost
- lifts your confidence
- provides new outlet for emotional release
- changes your brain chemistry
- increases brain myelin which increases ability to learn better
- decreases likelihood of developing dementia
- increases ability to learn faster
- increases ability to better adapt to changes
- fights boredom by keeping a high level of interest
2. Cultivate gratitude
- everyday acknowledge what you feel without judgement
- allows feelings to flow freely preventing blocks in your journey
- directly activates brain regions associated with the neurotransmitter called Dopamine
- your feel-good hormone
- associated with feelings of bliss, euphoria, motivation and concentration
- changes your brain
- your belief system is based on what your brain regularly thinks and focuses on
- gratitude releases dopamine which reinforces a positive cycle encouraging your brain to look for more things to be grateful for rather than focuses on the negative
- your belief system is based on what your brain regularly thinks and focuses on
- 21 day challenge
- everyday write down 10 things you are grateful for
- post them in a place that is visible and can be seen everyday
- you will have over 200 by the end of the challenge!!
3. Using your senses
- senses communicate directly with your brain
- helps with grounding when overwhelmed or agitated (touching a soft blanket .... feeling the grass on your feet)
- essential oils
- engages sense of smell
- talks to the brain as soon as it senses an aroma
- evoke feelings and bring memories back to life
- can deepen your focus and promote relaxation
- engages sense of smell
There are a variety of essential oils and blends that are beneficial for supporting healthy brain breaks. Here are some of my favorites:
- has balancing properties that uplift and inspire both heart and soul.
- stimulates feelings of action and accomplishment
- provides positive energy to help overcome feelings of fear and procrastination.
- promotes feelings of belief, faith, self-confidence, and courage.
- diffuse it or apply it topically to jump-start your day.
- use it when setting goals to create an atmosphere of motivation.
- blends Basil, Rosemary, Peppermint, and other essential oils for an aroma that invites a sense of clarity and alertness.
- a proprietary blend of Young Living essential oils formulated to enhance rational decision-making abilities, leading to increased wellness, purpose, and abundance.
- a blend of essential oils high in sesquiterpenes—like Sacred Sandalwood and Blue Cypress—to promote a sense of clarity and a focused environment when used aromatically.
- aroma creates an ideal environment for studying.
- includes the naturally occurring constituents alpha-pinene, guaiol, and linalool.
- diffuse it to create a focused and relaxed yet stimulating environment.
These are just a few of the many ways to develop healthy "brain breaks". If you have a favorite one that works well for you, please share in the comments. If you still are not sure where to start, check out one of these free resources. There may be other lifestyle areas that are contributing to blockages in your self-care.
