Recalibrating your brain

Having to transition quickly between different tasks, different social situations, and even different partners can take a toll on your mental health. Unlike computers, we need time to change our mindsets when switching from work to family time or date time, for example.

1. Make sure you have adequate time for transition: have clear time boundaries and think about ending dates/starting to wrap things up a little earlier than you feel like you need to in order to provide enough time to transition.

2. Find ways to settle from one headspace to the other, such as stopping at a park on the way home, taking a walk, or something else to help you relax before starting your next task.

Work/home balance

Having clear divisions between work and home or other tasks can also help. Disrupting your flow when you’re already in the zone can be stressful and disorienting, so giving yourself dedicated blocks of time can increase productivity and elevate your mood.

1. Carve out specific blocks of time with no phone/email/social media time. Even 30 minutes can be helpful.

2. Change your clothes between work and home, or between dates, to give yourself a sense of starting anew.

3. Change the air if you need to, by incorporating some fresh air, a nice smelling spray, or a candle.

Mental spaces

It’s important to actually leave a mental space when you say you are. Try to make some time at the end or work, vacation, a date, whatever, to collect your thoughts, and write them down if necessary. This lets you "save your progress” and come back to it later when you need to.

Alternatively, when you need to get into a mental space, actually get into it:

• Reread what you wrote when you were leaving the space previously.

• Associate it with a goal if you can: “What do I want from this?”

If any of this is particularly difficult, it might mean that your mind is trying to get your attention. If you find yourself dreading a certain part of your life, ask yourself:

• Is there something about the space you could change?

• Is there something you’re not communicating to the people around you?

• Is there a clearer or more interesting goal/purpose you can come up with?

• Is something actually wrong here?

Time for yourself

Don’t underestimate the value of making time for yourself. Make sure that you’re taking at least one evening or time during the day throughout the week to have to yourself. If that’s not realistic, try to at least save 90 minutes. Take some time to think and explore anything you feel you may be missing out on lately.

What to do during your “me” time:

• Unstructured time.

• Read or watch your own shows.

• Writing or journaling.

• Walking, exercising, or doing something physical.

• Organizing your environment, if that brings you joy.

• Masturbating.

Avoid things like browsing social media, catching up on email, reading the news, or other stressful things.