Lowering the volume from the outside and inside noise
Everyone is talking about mental health at the moment. Now I’m sharing my input. And I’m not a psychologist; those are just my experiences I’m sharing.
I want to talk about mental health, especially for introverts, as we struggle even more to protect our energy in this fast-paced, loud, and extrovert world.
I was at a networking event yesterday, and that’s such an extroverted thing. The louder you are, the better they hear you and think you are successful.
But like Tim Denning wrote in his newsletter this week:
“Quiet people change the world”
and I agree.
Mental health is as important as physical health and is now less stigmatized because of successful people like Simone Biles talking about it.
Being successful is not just about taking physical care of your body by eating healthy, decreasing sugar, taking supplements, exercising… but we also need to check in with our mental health by listening to our bodies, taking breaks, and removing stress.
So let’s make sure you change the world without your mental health suffering.
Turn off the world
Introverts suffer more from this loud, bright world than extroverts. It’s overwhelming.
We are more sensitive. The bright lights, constant ads everywhere, and loud noises decrease our energy faster. This doesn’t include our overthinking and worrying yet.
The best habit I introduced two years ago to charge my batteries is my morning routine. The quiet time when I meditate, visualize, and journal keeps me sane.
No matter what the day brings, I know the morning is my space of tranquility and calmness.
After this hour for myself, I’m ready to start a new day.
For many people, waking up earlier sounds like a threat. But gradually making it a habit by waking up 10 minutes earlier every week can change your life.
Why? Because life consists of every day you’re living. If you start every day with calmness and positivity, it influences the rest.
Don’t make the mistake I made the first time I tried morning routines: removing an hour from my sleeping time.
This is neither helpful nor healthy. You need those 7–9 hours of sleep.
Another tool that helps me turn off the world is music. If you can’t do home office, you’re probably working in an open-plan office.
The designers who came up with this idea were not introverts or wanted us to focus.
Working in a loud environment surrounded by people can drain introverts’ energy really fast. I know how exhausted I am after a workday full of listening to other people’s calls or communicating with people.
Music helps me focus and block out noise. I have it on the lowest volume, and it already works. You don’t need to get deaf by blocking out the world.
Write everything down
Write down your thoughts.
Journaling is helping me stop my spinning thoughts from wasting my time. By writing them down, I stop worrying and overthinking because the thoughts left my brain.
Do you have nightmares of forgetting something? The magic trick against that is: write everything down.
This includes having a to-do list and a calendar. Everything I put on this list I let go of in my mind, and I won’t forget it.
Most of my stress is self-made. It comes from overthinking, re-playing, worrying…
- worrying that I forgot something
- re-playing past situations when I didn’t have the right answer
- worrying about the future
- overthinking future plans
- overthinking every decision
- worrying about all the bad things you hear on the news (stop watching them!)
It’s proven that stress ages your body and has been linked to illnesses that can be deadly.
Every day take at least 5 minutes (I know you can find those 5 minutes, just decrease your social media scrolling) and write everything down. Make it a habit in the morning after waking up or in the evening before going to bed.
Let go!
Clear social interaction times
We recharge being alone, but it can grow into self-made isolation and loneliness.
As human beings, we need social interactions. We are a social species. Introverts just need less of it, but we aren’t antisocial.
Find a balance that works for you!
I go to networking events 1-2 times per month, and that’s my sweet spot. Additionally, I meet with friends and family at least once weekly.
This is not the magic formula for every introvert. Try different frequencies and check in with your energy levels.
This week I’m quite busy with one networking event, one meeting at volunteering, and a weekend with family. It’s going to take a lot of energy, and I need to check my mental health in all that. The key is to have quiet breaks. (read the first point again about that)
Remember: You are allowed to say no to social events.
I know my limits; otherwise, I would’ve said no. The week after, I will take some days off for myself to recharge.
Extroverts tend to judge you if you aren’t participating in every event, but you need to care about yourself and set boundaries.
You need to set clear boundaries for your social interactions, or else the world will choose for you.
Balance the introverted and extroverted worlds.
Conclusion
Setting boundaries, journaling, and blocking out the world are the three tools I use daily to keep my energy high in this extroverted world.
I’m focused on my goals, and this means saying no to most of the parties.
The world outside is trying to get your attention. As an introvert who wants to move forward and be successful, you need to block it out for some part to focus on yourself.
We cannot change the world, but we can accept it and make lemon juice.
Less Stress. More Time. Less Overwhelmed!
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