Hello everyone.

Almost half of May has passed, and this year is also approaching its mid - point. Maybe many friends will start to get busier at work.

However, the busier you are, the more you should pay attention to your emotional and mental health. Don't forget to give yourself a break outside of work to relax your mind and make each day both fulfilling and happy.

So, in today's post, I want to share a simple list with you to help you find healing and relaxation amidst your busy schedule.

These are the experiences and feelings I've accumulated over many years. I hope they can also be helpful to you.

1. Maintain a playlist of your favorite songs

There is no doubt about the benefits of music for mental health. In recent years, research has further found that music also has unexpected benefits for our brains.

For example, a study in 2022 found that music can stimulate the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of the brain, making it more active, thus making our minds clearer and our thinking more efficient. (Fukuie et al., 2022)

What kind of music is suitable? Research suggests that it needs to meet two conditions: first, the music should be something you love and can arouse your excitement and pleasure; second, it must have a certain rhythm and beat that can make you want to sway along.

Another example is that research on Alzheimer's disease has also found that cognitive activities related to music, such as singing, notation, and playing musical instruments, can slow down brain aging and reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

So, I highly recommend that you develop the habit of listening to music. As long as you don't listen to music while performing highly complex tasks (which may distract our attention and reduce task performance), it is always beneficial.

My own habit is to maintain several playlists suitable for different scenarios. Soothing music is for times when I need to relax or before going to bed; fast - paced music is for after waking up or when I need to quickly get into work mode; interesting and unique music is for leisure time to stimulate the brain and generate new inspiration and ideas.

Although there are already many ready - made playlists on platforms like NetEase Cloud Music, I still suggest that you explore, collect, and organize your own playlist.

On the one hand, as mentioned above, the music you like works better. On the other hand, this can also help you gradually accumulate a sense of accomplishment from the process and gain further happiness.

2. Rate the books and movies you've watched

I've had a habit for many years: for every book I've read (including novels) and every movie I've watched, I create a simple page, give an overall rating, and briefly write down my comments, stating what I think is good and what is not so good about them.

What's the use of this habit? On the one hand, it serves as a record, allowing me to easily see what I've read and watched and quickly look them up when needed.

On the other hand, it can show me the changes in my thinking patterns and areas of focus. This change is reflected in what kind of content I choose to read and watch, how I evaluate them, what factors I value, and how I understand their value, etc.

With this comprehensive record, I can clearly see what I was more concerned about and liked in different years. At the same time, I can also see what changes have occurred in my way of judging things and what changes have taken place in the priority of my evaluation of different factors.

It's like a life archive that connects different stages of your life, making you feel that "my life is continuous" and using the rich memories of the past to provide strength for the present.

As for the tool to use, actually Excel (or similar table and database tools) will do. You don't need to make it very elaborate or spend too much time. Just record it irregularly.

Why not start organizing it today and leave a record for your life to make it clearer and more detailed.

3. Design a task for something you want

Do you have something that you've always wanted but it's not that urgent or "worthwhile"? You want to own it but are worried about wasting money and being said to be paying the "IQ tax".

If so, you can actually do this: use it as a reward and set a task for yourself. If you can achieve it, buy it for yourself as a treat.

It doesn't have to be a physical object. A certain service, experience, or entertainment (such as a trip or vacation) can also work. The key is to set a small challenge for yourself in this way, giving yourself a clear, phased goal to strive for.

What kind of task? It could be developing a certain habit, persevering in a certain behavior, reading books, doing exercises, learning skills, exercising... Anything that you think is useful but haven't been able to do consistently can be included.

For example, read an article every day, organize the knowledge points, and form meaningful notes. Once you've accumulated 50 notes, take a trip to a place you've always wanted to go to and reward yourself.

The significance of this approach is not only to obtain the thing itself but also to "gamify" the process, making ordinary life more interesting and worth looking forward to.

4. Organize the process of solving a problem

Each of us must have encountered and solved many problems in our lives and work. But have you ever thought that these experiences and actions of solving problems are actually our precious wealth of experience. It's a pity if we just let them be forgotten.

These problems can be big or small. Small problems could be using a certain tool to meet a certain need, such as how to take a long - screenshot on a mobile phone, how to quickly convert file formats, how to download pictures in batches...

Big problems could be the viewpoints and conclusions obtained after doing a lot of research and organizing a lot of materials. For example, what to pay attention to when traveling to a certain place, what pitfalls there might be in home decoration, the advantages and disadvantages of different materials for clothes, etc.

We may spend a lot of time collecting information, comparing and analyzing, and making trade - offs to finally reach a conclusion. But few people will refine and summarize these processes, record them, and transform them into effective "crystallizations".

So, I suggest that you include this in your daily routine. Organize it when you have time to form a unique "handbook of experience" for yourself.

It has at least four functions:

1. It allows you to clearly see the results of your actions, bringing more a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction to your life;
2. It can become a memory of your life, allowing you to more specifically recall the "highlight moments" in your life that are worth cherishing and savoring;
3. It can serve as a memo, which you can refer to when you encounter similar problems;
4. Even, if you have the time and energy, you can share it online with other netizens to build your influence.

Why not start today by trying to do a simple review and summary of your efforts and attempts. It will become a precious asset in your life.

5. Learn some hands - on hobbies

Life needs dopamine. Among all the things that can stimulate the brain to secrete dopamine, "hands - on" is an extremely effective way, perhaps even more useful than new and exciting experiences.

However, in this era, due to our high - level dependence on digital products and division of labor, many people have gradually lost the habit and ability of "hands - on". Almost everything can be done by various products and services. In fact, we have lost an extremely effective way to stimulate dopamine.

Therefore, if you feel that your life is always boring and lacks enthusiasm and vitality, a very effective way is to develop several hands - on habits and hobbies.

For example:

Building blocks and models, such as Lego, jigsaw puzzles, model toys, etc.;

Baking, cooking, making cocktails, brewing hand - made coffee, making desserts, etc.;

Cultivating plants, pruning branches and leaves, watering flowers, getting rid of pests, arranging the garden, etc.;

Making various small tools and toys for pets, building models and assembling toys with children, etc.;

And other hands - on hobbies, such as handicrafts, painting, flower arrangement...

You don't need to be very good at it or become an expert. As long as it can be a way for you to relax and rest in your busy life.

6. Eliminate the "compromises" in life that are inconvenient

In our daily lives, there must be many "awkward" details. They are not so serious as to make us unable to move forward, but they won't disappear either and will always make us feel a little inconvenient.

Here are a few simple examples:

There are some unnecessary redundancies in the work process, resulting in repeated operations;

It's always inconvenient to take notes when reading books, so you often don't bother to record;

The storage and movement lines in daily life are unreasonable, so you often have to rummage around...

Most of the time, these inconveniences are not that unbearable, and we just endure them, which is why they have never been solved.

Over time, they become our habits, a kind of "compromise".

So, an effective approach is to carefully observe your life and work processes and ask yourself:

When do I feel inconvenient when doing something?

Has this inconvenience affected the efficiency, quality, and cost of what I'm doing?

Is it possible for me to try some new tools, methods, or steps to eliminate this inconvenience?

Take your time; you don't need to solve them all at once. As long as you can solve one or two, you'll feel more comfortable and fluent when doing things, and thus have more motivation to eliminate more "compromises".

7. Make a calendar full of wonderful memories

I've shared a method before: if you don't have time to write a diary, you can try an alternative: find the most impressive thing that makes each day unique from your daily life and write it down.

This thing can be big or small. Big things could be completing a project, delivering a product, passing an exam, or getting an award.

Small things could be what? It could be eating a delicious dish, going to an interesting new store, reading a new book you like... Anything that makes you feel happy and fulfilled can be recorded.

Then, you can make a calendar and record the wonderful memories of each day on it with one or two sentences. Slowly accumulate and wait for the whole - year calendar to be filled.

You might as well print out this calendar, fill it in every day, and then keep it with you. When you need strength, courage, and confidence, take it out and recall the wonderful moments you've experienced.

You'll find that your life is so glorious and shining.

8. Watch some videos about nature

As early as the 1980s, biologist Edward Wilson put forward a view: he believed that our evolutionary process has shaped our brains, making them respond more positively to open and expansive natural spaces such as trees, grasslands, lakes, and rivers.

In recent decades, this view has been continuously developed. Many studies have found that spending some time in places with lush greenery and water can greatly improve mental health, relieve psychological problems including depression, anxiety, and stress, and at the same time make us feel happier.

So, the current "20 - minute park effect" is very popular, and it is indeed useful and supported by scientific evidence.

However, if you really don't have the conditions to go to the park, watching some videos about nature can also have a similar effect. (Valtchanov et al., 2010)

It can be a documentary about the natural ecosystem, or it can be about scenery, travel, food, culture... As long as it can immerse you in it.

Of course, the more diverse the elements, the better. If it has both natural scenery and cultural documentaries, allowing you to learn about the local scenery and customs and specifically experience the local life, it will be even better.

You can use it as a way to relax and rest. When you're tired from work or study, instead of scrolling through social media or binge - watching TV shows, watch this kind of video. Maybe it will bring you better healing effects.

9. Take a walk in a new place

People need a broader activity space.

If you stay in the same space for a long time, your brain will feel bored. This is because the brain constantly models the surrounding environment and extracts information from it to better adapt to the real world.

Once it finds that the environment remains unchanged for a long time, the brain will send an alarm: it's time to change the environment, otherwise it may be detrimental to our survival.

Therefore, if you've been stuck in the two - point - one - line between home and work, living a repetitive life every day, the activity of your brain will be suppressed, and you'll be more likely to feel bored, tired, lose vitality, and be in a depressed mood...

Think about it: How long has it been since you went to a strange place? How long has it been since you walked on an unfamiliar road and took a stroll in a new place?

How long has it been since you made new friends offline, met new strangers, contacted different people, and learned about different lifestyles?

How long has it been since you got out of your daily life and work scenarios, participated in some new activities, and did something different to let your brain receive new stimuli?

So, if possible, try to find some time to go to places you've never been to, have a chat with strangers, take some photos, or take a walk in the suburbs. Observe the details of the city from a new perspective and feel its different sides, cultural customs, and the hustle and bustle...

You may find that your space can be so vast.

10. Share interesting things with friends

In daily life, we must see some funny information or encounter some interesting things every day. It's a pity to just let them pass by. Why not try to share them with your close friends?

You can find a few good friends, create a group, and agree with everyone: whoever sees something interesting on weekdays will post it in the group, and everyone will express their thoughts when they see it.

Or, make an agreement with your partner or close friend: share interesting things with each other when you see them, so that you can know what each other is looking at, doing, feeling, and liking, and what life is like.

This can strengthen the sense of connection in a small circle and make the relationship between each other closer and more harmonious.

At the same time, it can also continuously "open up" yourself, allowing more emotions to pass through you and making you feel a stronger and closer connection with the world.

I hope today's article can give you some inspiration.

I also hope that your life can become more colorful.

So, do you have something you've always wanted? Try to use it as a reward and set a task for yourself. Maybe you'll find the long - lost motivation.