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When The Mind Can Take No More

Why Finding Time To Be Alone In Solitude Improves The Mind — Photo by Bob Price on Pexels.com

To find out whether you need to spend time alone or go into solitude, There are many signs that you will clearly see if you pay close attention. It could be your snappy with people, can’t concentrate, feel lost, you want to hide away from the world or you feel your motivation has gone.

This happens when the mind doesn’t have time to relax. When we are in contact with colleagues, our children or the work we have to do. Our mind is in external mode focusing on their needs not our own. When turning our attention to the internal mode we find time to focus on ourselves and let the brain relax on what’s best for ourselves.

Finding time to be alone can offer our minds the chance to catch up and recover. Much like sleeping repairs the brain. Finding time to be alone repairs the mind from exhaustion. You probably noticed when you don’t get enough sleep how much easier it is to get annoyed and frustrated. You feel the same when you don’t find time to be alone.

Main Benefits Of Alone Time

Studies have shown that spending time alone or going one step further and finding solitude.

Strongly increased happiness
Better life satisfaction
Improved stress management
Reduction in depression symtoms
Creative thinking

This goes to show why in everyone’s mindset toolkit, alone time or solitude has to be included. Being more introverted myself. Finding time alone away from the responsibilities of life makes me a better person when I’m present with my wife, children and work.

Even extroverted people need time to be alone too. They excel at being the life of the conversation, life of the party or exuberant leaders of people. As much as they love this role there will come a time when it’s time to take a break and find time alone away.

This is healthy and every human needs it as you need sleep. Without you will be drained and not the person you want to be.

How To Find Time To Be Alone

Making time to be alone will go a long way in increasing your wellbeing, productivity and performance. Below are just some of the activities you can do to strengthen the mind with alone time.

Travelling Alone

Travelling alone is a refreshing way to claim your thoughts back. This could be taking the train on your own or it could randomly pick somewhere on a map to travel to for a weekend alone. Doing this takes all the external responsibility away from your life where you can just focus on yourself. Whether that be finding time to read, learn about a new culture, or find out more about yourself.

Hiking In Nature

Exercising the brain is important and hiking in nature is a great way to spend time alone with yourself. You will feel challenged and at home in nature. As nature allows you to connect with it in a way that’s peaceful for the mind. When hiking you will have time to listen to your thoughts, come up with new ideas and focus on what you really want from your life. I always take a small notebook with me to jot down any new ideas and systems I want in my life.

Work Alone

Teamwork makes the dream work is a famous saying that’s actually true. When humans work together magical things happen. But there is also space for working alone too. If you’re constantly getting distracted or need time to process your own thoughts. Get away and find your space to work alone. If I’m at home working I find time in my week to work from a cafe. This allows me to focus on myself rather than be distracted by what’s at home.

Do A Hobby Alone

A great way to find your alone time is picking up a hobby that can be truly yours. This could be joining an MMA class, photography, writing or learning a new language. Whatever the hobby is it will give you space where you can take the mind internally to focus on the self-care of the mind needs.

Plan For It

Planning your alone time can go a long in preventing any symptoms of a lack of alone time popping up. Scheduling in your hobby or when it’s time just for you can go a long way in making sure you make it a habit in your life. It will make you excited and be able to give your external responsibilities all your attention. You can even plan for time in your day when it’s just for you. Waking up before everyone else or having your own room to do whatever you want will help too.

How To Find Solitude

Cabin In The Woods

Famously every year Bill Gates spends 2 weeks out of the year on his own in solitude. This is a time where he can reflect and plan for what he wants to do next. This is a great way to recover the mind the external responsibilities of life. In Scotland, many affordable cabins are far away from human life to spend in solitude. Wherever you live find somewhere you can go to find your solitude for a couple of weeks out of the year.

Your Own Space

You’ve probably heard of a man den before. There’s a lot of jokes about this and females can think it silly. But this is a super healthy way for someone to take a step back to find time for themself in solitude. It’s crucial in your own life to create somewhere in your home that’s your space. Whether that’s your own room, garage, shed or a time in the day that’s yours to command.

The Benefits Of Seeking Solitude

Clears the mind
Increases focus and what’s a priority
listen to what you really want
Problem-solving

Remember It Has To Be A Fine Balance

We are of course social creatures so we feel at our happiest when we have family, friends and a community around us. Because there is a clear distinction between loneliness and finding time to be alone. This article isn’t about overcoming loneliness it’s about finding space in your life to internally heal, repair and stimulate your mind.

Only you will know how much alone time and solitude you will need in your life and I expect introverted will need more than extroverted people would. But finding time to be alone with yourself and your thoughts is the foundation of mindset strength to build your relationship, career, and habits.

Let’s all find our alone time, our place of solitude and become stronger mentally for it.

PLEASE COMMENT AND SHARE YOUR STORIES

Has this helped you today? What’s your favourite mindset strategy you’re going to try out. I would love to hear your thoughts and your experiences with dealing with a negative mindset. Always remember you are not alone and everything can change.

A Final Word From The Future Mindset

I hope you enjoyed today’s article If you’re struggling with dealing with mastering your own mindset. Don’t worry you’re not alone. Millions of people go through the same experience every day. I hope the article has helped in some way. If you need extra help or any questions answered. Don’t hesitate to contact me at adam@thefuturemindset.com

@thefuturemindset/@futuremindset_

Within this article, The surprising benefits of Journaling has on the mind. We will discuss what journaling can do to help with strengthening the mind and helping with any mental health problems like anxiety, depression and stress. We want to finish the article to not only understand the benefits but can go away and have action steps to implement this into your daily habits.

Who Journals Nowadays Anyway

With technological advancements moving forward at a rapid rate there are now many online journal apps that you can use. But there is something about the surprising benefits of journaling has on the mind when writing. Especially the subconscious mind.

Growing up journaling was seen as a feminine thing to do. A teenage girl keeping her deep dark secrets. (Maybe I watched too many films as a kid).

With age, this has become a weapon for my mind. The peace of mind I get from journaling has allowed me to forgive my past, applaud my present achievements and plan my future.

There are more and more people talking and turning to journaling as a form of mental wellbeing where you can document what’s on your mind.

In the past, there have been many amazing stories that have been discovered through journaling. We have Marco Polo’s adventures to Asia documented for Europeans to see the wonders there and Leonardo da Vinci recorded his thoughts in a series of papers and notes on mechanics and astronomy, offering an insight into da Vinci’s thought process.

Many great people have journaled and it’s time to make journaling a mainstay in everyone life.

Scientific Benefits Of Journaling On The Mind

The Surprising Benefits of Journaling has on the mind — Photo by Rich Smith on Unsplash

There have been many scientific studies on the benefits that journaling has on the mind. It ranges from improvement in mood but also improvement in understanding and memory too.

A study by Michael Docherty in 2010 backed this up by showing the effects of daily reflective journaling on understanding the scientific attitude toward the understanding of Newtonian mechanics. This shows that journaling can help with understanding difficult tasks as well as remembering them.

Hayley Phelan research also found out that writing in a journal can lead to better sleep, a stronger immune system, more self-confidence and a higher I.Q.

So there is a high amount of evidence within the scientific community that journaling is amazing for the mind and your overall health.

The Power Of Journaling On Your Mental Health

Benefits Of Journaling For Anxiety

Writing in a journal can have a major impact on your state of mind when dealing with anxiety. As well as clearing your mind, it can also give you the peace of mind you need.

Journalling also allows you to open up and understand what negative thoughts and experiences to best manage in the future. Especially the triggers that set off your anxiety. By enhancing your self-awareness you will find out how to avoid these triggers or plan a way to overcome them.

These strategies have been backed up in studies below by Leclaire, 2008 showing the reduction of anxiety in women and Flinchbaugh, Moore, Chang, & May 2012 found journaling helped students manage their anxiety and helped improve their overall performance in the classroom.

Benefits Of Journaling For Depression

I haven’t yet read a study that has found that journaling can eradicate depression for good. What I have read is that journalling can definitely help the mind reduce depression and help manage it in your daily life.

I personally don’t suffer from depression as a condition but when I’ve had low points where the symptoms of depression have been present. Journalling has surprisingly pulled me out of it quite quickly. Getting to the point of writing was the hardest part but once I did my negative thoughts were erased with solutions and I always feel my mind being clear and focussed.

This shows that journaling can have amazing benefits on our state of mind. Eradicating depression for mild symptoms but also reducing its depression as a condition.

Benefits Of Journaling For Stress Management

Life can offer up all sorts of stresses especially in today’s busy world. Whether it’s parenting, a demanding job or a demanding relationship. Being able to deal with emotions is paramount for mental wellbeing.

Writing about our fears, sadness, anger or any other painful emotions. Helps to shed the weight of these feeling onto the paper. Within a matter of minutes you will feel lighter and calmer as you write. Making this a daily practice allows the weight of stress not to build up over time.

There is good stress of course that gets us moving forward but bad stress when prolonged can do lasting damage on our mnetal health. With suicide rate being highest amongst Men. The culture of man up, tuffen up, emotions are for girls. Has to be a thing of the past as the future men within our society will face the same pain.

Men should be encouraged to journal. This is a life-saving technique that’s completely free. As a man writing this, I implore every man to journal and learn from a majority journalling population of women of how to deal with stress and their emotions.

My own mental health has been saved from the stresses of life. Where now I can easily manage any situation and start everyday fresh and renewed.

It also allows the subconscious mind to focus on positive aspects of your life. Without having to manage negative feelings hidden within the mind. That could erupt without notice.

How You Can Apply Journaling Into Your Life

Have a book just for journaling
Pick a time of day preferably at night when you can journal
Make sure your alone with your thoughts
Make it a priority your favourite hot drink next to you at all times!!
Have planned headings (Mine are Forgiveness, Achievements, I’m grateful for and to-do list)
Have a section where you can just free write about any experience or emotion that’s strong.
Journaling can be about happy things too, make time feel and write those emotions too.

What to do now?

I hope you can take something away from today’s article The Surprising Benefits of Journaling has on the mind

Strengthening the mind should be of importance to everyone. Many great people of the past and present use journaling to understand what’s going on within their mind. Now it’s time for you to understand what’s going on In your mind and use journaling as a way to do it.

Get Journaling!!

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Hi I’m Adam

I’ve spent over 10 years coaching and mentoring people within sport and business. I have many life skills that I have developed and I want to pass these skills on so people can find their best self. I believe it all starts in the mind and I write about valuable tools and strategies to help people grow in this area.