So many options!
You have a lot of choices this week. All the activities require the full attention of your mind, which gives you some breathing space away from the things you’re anxious about. Many of the options also engage your body in some kind of relatively complex action. Pick one that resonates with you! It’s important to do something you like – don’t try to convince yourself you “should” pick one over the other.
Immersive Media
If you know one of these works well to distract you, feel free to revisit it! Or, explore something new. Don’t sweat your choice; there is no “perfect answer” here, and it might be fun to try different things.
- Videos on non-anxiety-inducing topics. For example: All Creatures Great and Small , Great British Bake Off , Nadiya’s Time to Eat , the Great Pottery Throwdown , shows about animals or your hobbies
- Getting lost in a book (e.g. Irish Country Doctor series , fantasy novels, an art book with lovely pictures)
- Calm app for iPhone or Android – lots of people say it helps them feel less anxious, though this is definitely a sit-still-and-breathe type of meditation.
- Video games – anything that engages you
- Virtual reality environment walkthroughs – not a “game” as such, but a truly immersive experience to explore. Requires Oculus VR headset. Even just watching the trailers for these is fun!
- Ocean Rift – swim through the ocean
- Various travel adventures – VR walkthroughs of cities around the world
Mind/Body Immersions
- Turn on some music and dance! Here are some to try if you want to follow someone’s lead:
- Nia On Demand is fun and energizing! There are lots of teachers with different personalities, and the “Moving to Heal ” series is much gentler and even has seated routines.
- Free 5-minute sample Nia dance break – still one of my favorites
- Play a musical instrument
- Juggle or spin poi – it’ll be most “flowy” if you’ve done something like this before…otherwise, it might be more frustrating than fun
- Do more chi flows
- Art or craft projects – painting, woodworking, knitting (if that does engage your mind – might not work if you can knit on autopilot!)
- Gardening – Anyone else find weeding to be very soothing?
- Virtual reality or video games – Requires a VR headset, like Oculus. Look for “Flow” apps like PowerBeatsVR or SuperNatural, or sports apps like The Climb (virtual rock climbing)
- Group fitness classes, in a studio or at home.
- An in-person sport – or even just kicking a ball around with your kids!
- Walking/running/biking – continuous movement that replaces thoughts with steady rhythm
- Walk on a treadmill while watching a free “virtual hiking tour” video on YouTube
The goal here is to find something YOU like that can immerse your mind and body at the same time!