De-stimulate Your Environment
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“Outer order contributes to inner calm.” – Gretchen Rubin
Are you surrounded by constant noise and a cluttered environment? Do you go home after a chaotic workday to a messy house full of stuff? Are you overwhelmed by the never-ending-ness of it all?
If you’re feeling stressed, anxious, and overstimulated by your environment, you might be dealing with sensory overload. When you’re overstimulated, your brain is overwhelmed with too much information to process. By removing some of the stimuli, your brain can return to a normal state.
Sometimes all it takes is a few minutes of quiet or a clutter-free space to feel more positive emotions and fewer negative ones. Take some time to simplify your environment and regulate yourself with one of these ideas:
- If you haven't used something at home in the last year, throw it away, sell it, or donate it.
- Choose 1 small area to tidy up. This could be a work area, your nightstand in your bedroom, or the junk drawer in the kitchen.
- Clean out expired food and organize your fridge and freezer.
- Cut back on time spent using a device with a screen.
- Get comfortable with quiet. Implement quiet time in your household when there is no music, television, games, or background noise for a certain amount of time.
Remember: You probably don’t have control over everything that’s causing you to burn out. But one thing you can influence is your environment. If it’s overstimulating you, do something to regulate it. For more inspiration, read our blog on eco-friendly ways to declutter.
Burnout can be a serious issue. Contact your health care or mental health provider if you have any concerns.
How will you de-stimulate your environment today? Share with us in our challenge updates thread here, in our private Facebook group, or on Twitter, or Instagram (tag us with #healthynurse!).
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08/18/2023 7:22am CDT
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