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Something to think about, something to do

Writer's picture: Ted BradshawTed Bradshaw

I often fall into a trap of trying to squash anxious thoughts by covering them up. An example of this occurs regularly during our rather frantic mornings.

 

While I am unloading the dishwasher and getting breakfast ready for the kids (and prepare myself a coffee that will then be microwaved at least once because I have been a little too busy to drink it) I sometimes feel pretty tense. Sometimes that is because my mind is on work or things I need to get done, sometimes because of a more general sense of time pressure, sometimes, frankly, because the kids keep coming in to ask me to sort something for them or me having to step out of the kitchen to go and deal with somebody not sharing nicely, that kind of thing.

 

I tend to feel this pull towards putting a podcast on. I love a podcast, me, and at the right times, it is genuinely something I find very relaxing. However, in the mornings, it really doesn't work very well.

 

For a start, I keep having to pause or rewind because someone has started shouting or needs me to draw the tricky part of a dinosaur, but also because while the podcast is on, the thoughts that are buzzing around in the back of my mind are getting a bit squashed. They don't drift away, it is more like the podcast is speaking over the top of them. Sometimes this actually adds to the feeling of tension and stress, and can even give me a headache.

 

When I admit defeat (or, on my best days, pre-empt defeat) I choose to leave the podcast alone, and I put on some music instead.

 

Music I can leave to run in the background. If the kids want to speak to me, I am not going to have to rewind. And there is more space for my thoughts to buzz away, without being completely spoken over. That then allows me a little more headspace to try and actually be in the room.

 

Something to think about 

 

Sometimes when there are niggling worries buzzing about in the background, it is tempting to try to do something that squashes them or speaks over them. However, sometimes that just doesn't work very well. Either you find that as soon as you stop what you are doing, the thoughts are still there, or you find that you end up with a headache while they are still kicking off and your mind is trying to do two things at once.

 

Something to do

 

If this rings a bell for you, but the idea of having nothing to keep your mind occupied at all makes you feel a little nervous, it can be helpful to think about doing things that leave some space for your mind to wander.

 

Changing a podcast for some music.

Changing songs for music without words.

Going for a walk without your headphones in.

 

That kind of thing.

 

Thanks for reading! Until next week,

 

Ted

 

P.S. I will fall into this same trap again this week, I can guarantee it. The temptation of the thought "but this time maybe you will get a clear 20 minutes to just listen uninterrupted" is too great.

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