One way to quiet your mind

⏲️ Today’s tip: Set a timer to practice being alone with your thoughts.

The trusty timer: For many of us, it’s a tool that helps us complete mundane tasks like boiling eggs. The writer Maya Kosoff uses a timer for a different purpose: to simply be. “In the same way you’d try to get incrementally better at running a 5K, I’ve been trying to get better at doing nothing,” she writes. “I set a timer, turn off my background noise, focus on my breathing, and see how long I can just… do that. The first time I did it I lasted 20 seconds. Then four minutes, then six minutes, then 11 minutes.”

If it’s difficult for you to quiet your noisy brain, give the exercise a try. (Bonus tip: Do this in a dark closet to escape the visual clutter of that dirty dish on your counter and the 28 open tabs on your screen.) You may feel antsy or bored or annoyed at first. That’s normal. Stick with it. The goal is to uncover a calmer, most present version of you — in time.

😌 More from Forge on calming your stress:

To Calm Down, Try ‘Calming Up’ Instead
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How to Deal With ‘Coronabrain’
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Relaxation Takes Practice, Too
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