6 simple tricks to calm the flip down in times of chaos

When life throws you lemons, a meltdown or cry session is totally fine (you’re human after all). But when anxiety or stress has the better of you, there are some simple hacks you can use to shift out of chaos and back into calm. These hacks require little to no prep time, so that you can recentre with ease.

One: Lavender

When I need to wind down, lavender is my go-to. Lavender is an anxiolytic (an anxiety reliever) that helps calm the nervous system and quieten the brain. It can reduce restlessness and agitation to quickly bring you into a state of relaxation and calm. There are many ways to use it. I like to use bath salts with lavender (this one by The Botanist Aromatherapy is lovely), use a lavender eye pillow at night or for cheeky day naps (try this silky-smooth bamboo lavender eye pillow from ettitude), or look for a good quality essential oil to diffuse.

Two: Breathe

Oh, the power of the breath, yet too often we forget to use it to our advantage. When we are stressed, our breath becomes shallow. By simply taking some longer slower breaths, we can activate the parasympathetic nervous system (the system that is all about rest, relaxation and repair) and get out of a fear state (and those anxious, racing thoughts that come with it).

Try this simple technique anytime you need it: breathe in for a count of 2, pause briefly at the top, then breathe out for a count of 4, pause briefly at the end of the exhale. By doing this for as little as 2 minutes, you will notice an instant shift into calm.

If you prefer to be guided through the process, try this short 5-minute meditation by Anne Douglas, I use it regularly on the Simple Habit app and find it’s a great one to do before bed too. Or if you have more time and really want to release the overwhelm, go deep with an hour-long breathwork session by every talented breathwork coach Nicola Laye here.

Three: Meditate

Up your feel-good hormones by adding mindful meditation to your daily routine. Meditation releases oxytocin (aka the love hormone) and serotonin (aka the mood balancer). When practised regularly, you will feel more calm, loving, and capable of riding out chaos, even in times of stress and uncertainty.

Sit peacefully, close your eyes, and try this beautiful 10-min teaching on accepting change by Sarah Blondin—everything word she speaks is magic. Another amazing tool if you want to learn meditation and begin a regular daily meditation practice is the 1GiantMind 12-step meditation course. The app is beautiful, simple to use and really helpful when starting out.

Four: Nature

Nature has a magical effect on our mood. There is even a growing scientific field called ecotherapy that involves spending time in nature to reduce stress, anxiety and depression. Calming nature sounds can lower blood pressure and cortisol levels (the stress hormone). So get outside for at least 20 minutes if you can.

If you can’t find nature nearby, one study showed that even listening to nature sounds or looking at pictures of beautiful nature settings can help. So play some soothing nature sounds or put on your favourite nature doco to relax. It all helps. By connecting to the world around you, you’ll get out of your head and be reminded that there is plenty of beauty to be found out there.

Five: Phone a friend

Talking to a pal is a great circuit breaker in times of stress. Good friends increase your sense of belonging and boost your happiness—both great things when you are feeling a little cray-cray or overwhelmed. A friendly voice., even just for a couple of minutes, can shift you out of a funk and back into flow.

Six: Single-tasking

We all know that feeling of overwhelm that comes with a never-ending to-do list, client demands, plus everyday life stuff. We often feel pressure to do all of the things because there’s simply so much to do. But one simple hack to lower overwhelm is to stay in the moment and focus on one thing at a time. It’s called single-tasking. When we focus on one thing at a time, until it is complete, we will find a state of flow, reduce stress and actually start to enjoy what we’re working on more. So forget ALL of the things you think you should be doing, and simply choose to attend to ONE task with your full attention. Your brain and anxiety levels will love you for it!