How To Get Something Off Your Mind Instantly (In 7 Steps)

If you have landed on this page, you are likely being plagued by thoughts that you do not want to be there, and are wondering how to get it off your mind.

The more you think about it, the more it won’t go away, which bothers you!

Our thoughts are linked to our emotions; thus, we can be triggered by powerful emotions when are unable to get things off our minds. It can lead us to feel stressed and overwhelmed.

Perhaps you even feel scared, guilty or upset. Luckily, you can do plenty of things to get something off your mind.

1. Write it out

Writing can be like therapy. It can be a relief and a weight off your shoulders when you have a lot on your mind.

Research has shown that writing can be good for emotional well-being. When participants of the study wrote about their deepest emotions over four consecutive days, participants found they felt happier and less harmful.  

With that being said, grab a pen and piece of paper and write down everything that is bothering you, what is frustrating you and your current thoughts and feelings. You can write whatever comes to your mind.

Do not overthink the process.  It doesn’t have to make perfect sense, be spelt correcting, or be a certain length. This is known as free writing and is excellent for releasing thoughts.

Some people may want to destroy what they have written back as a method of letting go and moving on. Others may want to keep it so they can look back on it.

Writing things down is also great for reflecting back on things. There have been many things that I have written down and gone back to them a few days or a few weeks later when I am in a different mindset and reflected back on how I felt at the time.

“I can shake off everything when I write. My sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn”

Anne Frank

2. Practice meditation

Meditation is the practice of awareness, whereby you can on the present moment. It allows you to concentrate and focus and observe thoughts and feelings without judgement.

One of the benefits of meditation is to reduce that constant brain chatter, so no better way to get something off your mind.

If you are not used to meditating, this practice may seem a little uncomfortable for you. You may find it hard to clear your head and focus, try a guided meditation if you are experiencing these issues and remember that practice makes perfect. Meditation is a skill that can be learnt by everyone!

Nameste!

3. Distract yourself by doing something you enjoy

Seriously, you don’t have to ask me twice to do something I love doing! It serves as a great distraction to get something off your mind too! This is because when doing something you enjoy you are more likely to be present in the moment, thus your mind will not be occupied by the things that were predominating your thoughts.

I am not saying that this will take your mind off of things forever and you will won’t think about it again, but it will certainly give you the break you need!

Doing something you enjoy will also increase positive thoughts and happiness. 

Whilst distracting yourself can be great for taking your mind off something according to Talk Space  it can be damaging if you are frequently trying to take your mind off something, as it can avoid the real problem and lower productivity.

With that being said, you should ensure that your distractions are healthy and not frequent, for example, try to avoid unhealthy behaviours such as excessive alcohol consumption or drug use.

So what are you waiting for? Binge-watch your favourite Netflix series, bang on your best Spotify playlist or get your friends around and socialise!

“All profound distractions open certain doors. You have to allow yourself to be be distracted when you are unable to concentrate”

Julio Cortazar

4. Exercise

So we probably all know that exercise has amazing benefits for our physical and mental health. When you exercise, you release endorphins, which can make you feel happier.

Exercising can also help you be mindful, taking your attention off of your thoughts and feelings, even if you are just doing it for a short period.

5. Listen to music

Music is a feel-good factor, it is good for the soul and can instantly uplift your mood. It is also good for helping you to stay in the present moment, hence it is brilliant to get things off your mind. Get on your Spotify play

I would try and avoid songs that will make you think about the thing you have on your mind, for example, if you thing on your mind is a person, then it wouldn’t be wise to play music that reminds you of them or any songs that relate to the situation that you are going through.

6. Talk it out with someone you trust

Talking to a friend or family member can work as well as writing, this may be a friend, family member or even a professional.

Okay, so how can talking about it keep it off your mind? Surely this will lead me to keep thinking about it? Not necessarily, by talking about it with someone you trust, you are less likely to keep thinking about it.

I suppose it’s a little like having a song in your head that you can’t get out, if you listen to it will probably solve the annoying earworm, and talking it through can release negative emotions and may even provide you with some closure to keep this off your mind.

If what you are thinking about is causing you stress and bringing negative emotions.  Talking about it will enable you to look at what is on your mind in a different way, thus giving you a different perspective.

Talking it through will likely enable you to feel better and likely less overwhelmed and stressed.  

“Remember if you are not speaking it, you and storing it and that gets heavy”

Christina isabel

7. Read a book

If you want to get something off your mind, I would highly suggest getting lost in a good book. There are so many benefits to reading. Reading can be an act of mindfulness, whereby you completely focus on the book and forget about what is going on around you, therefore helping us disconnect.

If what you cannot get off your mind is causing you stress, reading is also known to relieve stress.  

Let us know in the comments how you get something off of your mind!