A blank canvas presents the most opportunity to fill your mind. Finding ways to clear your head gives way to fresh ideas. In such a busy and bizarre world during COVID-19, it can be a challenge to shut off and just think. With everyone on their phones, news cycles moving at a mile a minute, and the subconscious anxiety that comes with a pandemic, when is there time to clear your head?
These five ways to shut off will give you the time you need to recharge:
1. Finding time to meditate
Adding meditation into your routine can benefit your creative process. Meditation gives you conscious time to sit alone and just think—or not think.
Add some time to your day when distractions are eliminated. Meditation gives you the opportunity to sit alone with your thoughts. Clearing your head during meditation can open the door up to new trains of thought you may not have come across with continuous distractions.
For insights on meditation from our conversation with Katie Couric, Deepak Chopra, and Sheryl Crow, click here.
2. Turning off notifications when needed
Emails, texts, calls, DMs: important communications for any entrepreneur. Have you ever been in the middle of a thought, only to completely forget what you’re doing because of a text? Consider hitting "Do Not Disturb" for a little while and let your thoughts collect without interruption.
Carving out certain times of the day when you’re not just a quick text away sets healthy boundaries for yourself and for your peers. If others start to understand that your availability is not at their convenience, they start learning to set boundaries with your communications.
3. “Dosing” your news cycle
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there is always more news to consume. That doesn’t mean you need to read it right away. Overstimulating yourself with news is tempting in the middle of a pandemic, but that doesn’t make it the healthiest option. It’s important to stay informed, but how you stay informed is up to you.
“Dosing” your news cycle can help to eliminate subconscious anxieties that come with constantly reading headlines, especially when they’re primarily negative. Choose a specific time of day to catch up on the news, process that information, and continue on with your day. This will keep you from falling down any news cycle rabbit holes.
4. Seeking fresh air (safely)
Sometimes the best way to clear your head is with a little fresh air. With the isolation and social distancing challenges that COVID-19 presents, it can be easy to forget to get some air. Safely seek fresh air while adhering to social distancing guidelines. Take a walk around your block without the distractions of your tech.
5. Getting an early start
Waking up early has been No. 1 in the entrepreneur’s playbook for decades. The morning gives creative thinkers the opportunity to do what their mind does best: think. When you’re up early, distractions are eliminated. The family is still asleep, no crises have come up at work, and you’re left alone with your thoughts in the quietest hours.
Use this time to restructure your processes
We’re in the midst of a strange and unique time for entrepreneurs. Taking this opportunity to restructure how you think and work can allow for some peak innovative thinking. Take a look at your routine and see where you can incorporate ways to clear your head. Allow yourself to clear the whiteboard before filling it up with ideas again.
Take a look at some more of our founder resources to get you inspired.
A blank canvas presents the most opportunity to fill your mind. Finding ways to clear your head gives way to fresh ideas. In such a busy and bizarre world during COVID-19, it can be a challenge to shut off and just think. With everyone on their phones, news cycles moving at a mile a minute, and the subconscious anxiety that comes with a pandemic, when is there time to clear your head?
These five ways to shut off will give you the time you need to recharge:
1. Finding time to meditate
Adding meditation into your routine can benefit your creative process. Meditation gives you conscious time to sit alone and just think—or not think.
Add some time to your day when distractions are eliminated. Meditation gives you the opportunity to sit alone with your thoughts. Clearing your head during meditation can open the door up to new trains of thought you may not have come across with continuous distractions.
For insights on meditation from our conversation with Katie Couric, Deepak Chopra, and Sheryl Crow, click here.
2. Turning off notifications when needed
Emails, texts, calls, DMs: important communications for any entrepreneur. Have you ever been in the middle of a thought, only to completely forget what you’re doing because of a text? Consider hitting "Do Not Disturb" for a little while and let your thoughts collect without interruption.
Carving out certain times of the day when you’re not just a quick text away sets healthy boundaries for yourself and for your peers. If others start to understand that your availability is not at their convenience, they start learning to set boundaries with your communications.
3. “Dosing” your news cycle
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there is always more news to consume. That doesn’t mean you need to read it right away. Overstimulating yourself with news is tempting in the middle of a pandemic, but that doesn’t make it the healthiest option. It’s important to stay informed, but how you stay informed is up to you.
“Dosing” your news cycle can help to eliminate subconscious anxieties that come with constantly reading headlines, especially when they’re primarily negative. Choose a specific time of day to catch up on the news, process that information, and continue on with your day. This will keep you from falling down any news cycle rabbit holes.
4. Seeking fresh air (safely)
Sometimes the best way to clear your head is with a little fresh air. With the isolation and social distancing challenges that COVID-19 presents, it can be easy to forget to get some air. Safely seek fresh air while adhering to social distancing guidelines. Take a walk around your block without the distractions of your tech.
5. Getting an early start
Waking up early has been No. 1 in the entrepreneur’s playbook for decades. The morning gives creative thinkers the opportunity to do what their mind does best: think. When you’re up early, distractions are eliminated. The family is still asleep, no crises have come up at work, and you’re left alone with your thoughts in the quietest hours.
Use this time to restructure your processes
We’re in the midst of a strange and unique time for entrepreneurs. Taking this opportunity to restructure how you think and work can allow for some peak innovative thinking. Take a look at your routine and see where you can incorporate ways to clear your head. Allow yourself to clear the whiteboard before filling it up with ideas again.
Take a look at some more of our founder resources to get you inspired.
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