by Team Robbins: Do you want to be happy? Do you want to feel at peace with yourself and the world?

Awaken

Of course, you do. Finding fulfillment is the ultimate human goal – the thing that all our actions try to move us toward, whether we know it or not. 

In today’s busy world, it can seem impossible to get a quiet minute – but you must prioritize it. Learning how to clear your mind decreases stress, improves your concentration and is vital to your mental health.

The mind is a powerful tool. Put it to work for you.

1. UNPLUG

How to clear your mind

Wondering how to clear your mind? The first step is to unplug. You won’t be able to focus if you have text messages or email notifications setting your phone off. And if you’re constantly scrolling through social media, you’re seeing a lot of information that can clutter up your thoughts – and even be bad for you. Taking some time to consider your thoughts can make it easier to let them go. Go for a walk or a hike for an added benefit, as connecting with nature has tons of benefits, including reduced stress.

2. EXERCISE

Going for a walk is a time-tested technique for a clear mind. But if you want to be consistently relaxed and content, you need to make lasting changes to your brain. Aerobic exercise is the way to do it. Studies suggest that exercise is associated with control over your thoughts – the prefrontal cortex, which controls thinking, is larger in people who exercise. Exercise can also help you sleep, so it’s an essential step if you’re wondering how to clear your mind to help with insomnia.

How to clear your mind

3. WRITE ABOUT IT

How to clear your mind

Sometimes a clear mind is hiding behind an experience or emotion that needs to come out. Writing is a common therapy for easing stress and trauma. It organizes your thoughts and naturally leads to solutions. Coming up with actionable goals is key to progress – and as Tony says,  “Progress equals happiness.” Don’t know what’s bothering you? Just put your pen to paper and see what comes out. Expressing yourself on paper can help you break free from worry and anxiety by giving meaning to your experiences.

4. DISCOVER THE POWER OF PAUSE

We’ve talked about how to clear your mind with activities. But what about simply practicing mindfulness? Implementing a brief 23 minute moment of silence and focused breathing into your day can drastically clear your mind and increase your overall productivityIt’s easy – you can do it anywhere, anytime:

  • Place whatever you are doing on pause
  • Sit or stand with your back straight up and both feet on the ground, shoulder-width apart
  • Relax your shoulders and place your arms at your sides
  • Close your eyes
  • Focus 5–10 deep breaths throughout your body by slowly breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth

how to alleviate stress at work

how to clear your mind by breathing

While breathing, make sure you concentrate on your airflow and express gratitude for each breath. Acknowledge and appreciate your body. This is similar to meditation – it clears the mind and gives you a moment to reflect. This moment of pause allows you to work through your thoughts and eases any tension in your body, which relieves stress and contributes to your mental and physical well-being.

We often tell ourselves we don’t have time to pause, but this exercise will make you more productive and more creative in the long run. Just 2–3 minutes a day can improve your effective reasoning, cognitive thinking and ability to form new ideas. So take a minute. Slow down. Be grateful. It can instantly clear your mind.

“The mind can be a dangerous place, but it can also be a beautiful place.” – Tony Robbins

5. PRACTICE PRIMING

Tony Robbins’ priming exercise takes the power of pause to the next level. While the first five steps are similar in nature, the next steps in the priming exercise allow you to transfer that clear mind into your everyday life.

  • Visualize: Whether in business, health or with family or other relationships, priming pushes you to clear your mind and visualize the life you desire. Be as creative or simple as you like, but don’t limit your mind. Through visualization, nothing is impossible for you to obtain.
  • Share: Take your positive energy to your workplace and loved ones. Share with them how you cleared your mind and help others find clarity.
  • Focus and celebrate: Your vision is achievable. Focus your energy on what you visualize and celebrate your work as if it’s already done. Start your day victorious and ready to conquer all that you set out to do.
  • Conquer the day: The day is yours! It’s your chance to take massive action and move in the direction of your goals and dreams. With priming, you have cultivated a state from which you are ready to conquer your day, regardless of the challenges that may arise.

how to prime and clear your mind

Priming is an excellent way to start each morning because it sets the tone for the remainder of your day. If done routinely, you will be able to start and end each day with a clear mind.

6. RELAX AND RELEASE

how to clear your mind using meditation

Everyone has days where they allow situations to break their focus and affect their attitude. Michael Singer, renowned spiritual teacher and author of The Untethered Soul, discusses ways to work through emotions as they arise, including the concept of “relax and release” as a key tool for clearing the mind. On a daily basis, we allow even the smallest irritations to bother us so much that we often forget to breathe. In those moments, simply take a second to relax (identify), breathe (analyze) and release (let go of) any tension we feel.

Relax

Take a walk, listen to music (preferably smooth instrumentals) and breathe. Allow yourself to pause and  calm your mind and body so you can more objectively analyze your emotions: Where do these feelings come from and what caused you to feel them? Stress is often derived from a combination of pain points collected over time. Take a moment to breathe as you think through your emotions (both past and present).

Release

 Let go of thoughts that cause you pain and replace them with positive ones. Through positive thinking, affirmations, and repetition of positive mantras, mental relaxation becomes easier and releasing things outside of your control becomes automatic.

mindfulness and meditation

Your overall mental health is vital to your quality of life. You work hard and you deserve a clear mind. By incorporating relaxation techniques into your daily routine and knowing what to do when life seems to be moving too fast, you’ll find serenity even in this fast-paced world. When faced with any challenge, you will know exactly how to clear your mind in order to conquer your day.

Source: Tony Robbins