6 Things to Keep You Sane in a Highly Frenetic World

There’s no denying that the pace at which we are all moving is faster than ever before. Juggling work and home life, dealing with the unrelenting impact of technology that makes us readily available 24/7 and the overall media deluge that assaults us everywhere we turn. It’s a wonder we still have our sanity.

Here are some things that we can all do to keep ourselves grounded in the midst of the insanity:

1. Unplug. Unless you have a job that requires you to be completely connected through pretty much every waking hour (and when you’re sleeping as well), it is a liberating thing to simply turn off the technology in the evenings, on the weekends, or dare I suggest it, even at some points in the day.

2. Exercise. You don’t have to be a power athlete, run marathons or do any sort of ‘intense’ exercise to reap the rewards of getting your heart pumping and keeping your muscles flexible. And if you don’t want to engage in “organized “ exercise as found in classes or on a team, then walking and jogging around the neighborhood is a wonderful way to just “chill.”

3. Be appreciative. We live in a world that is defined by acquisition. Bigger this, more of that, but most of us (or at least the “us” reading this blog) are in reasonably good shape. Be appreciative and enjoy what you already have.

4. Take time for friends and family. Friends and family are your bedrock and where you turn when things are tough. They should also be the people with whom you spend “quality” time. Take a break from work and play hooky with your spouse or significant other. Spend an evening with friends and just share the time, some good food and conversation. Keep the technology shut off.

5. Give back. Giving back to your community is a terrific way to stay grounded. Volunteer at a soup kitchen, become active on committees in your kid’s school or sports team, or become active in your house of worship. There are no rules on “how” to give back but you will stop thinking about yourself when you are giving to others.

6. Carve out physical space that makes you feel centered. No, it doesn’t have to be anything palatial and over the top. Quite the contrary. A special reading chair and lamp that calls out your name when you enter the room, a seat in the kitchen where you can have coffee or tea and read the paper when the early morning light fills the room, or just about any place in your home that feels nurturing and brings a smile to your face.

So there you have it. Six simple, easy to implement, sanity-inducing tactics.

Start now!