TRY THIS GROUNDING TECHNIQUE for better focus

If there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s the importance of having a set of tools you can use when faced with unavoidable stress. This technique is one of them.

When we are under a lot of stress, or have a lot on our minds, we can find it hard to focus, or have an overall feeling of being “spaced out”. This exercise is one that can help bring you back into the present moment when your mind is wandering elsewhere.

The method is called 5-4-3-2-1. It is a 5 senses exercises that helps in times of anxiety and overwhelm. This exercise uses all 5 senses to bring you back into the moment and out of the worries of the mind.

5…Look around your space and name 5 things you can see.

4…Find 4 things in your space that you can touch. (really focus on the feelings and sensations of the surface beneath your hands.)

3…Listen for 3 things you can hear in your environment. (the sound of traffic, a breeze through the trees, rustling leaves, etc.)

2…Use your sense of smell to name 2 things in your environment that you can smell.

1… Use your sense of taste to name one thing you can taste.

By using your senses to observe your current environment, your brain is distracted from negative thought loops and brought back into the present moment.

From here, try taking a few deep breaths in and out through the nose as your mind and body continue to orient into the present moment.

I hope this helps!