Ideas for Hitting the Reset Button
Tackling overwhelm with practical solutions.
Bismillah…
Within a day, a week, a month, or really any time within our life, I’ve always found it helpful to have a reset button as it helps my busy brain stop and be more thoughtful about my choices. When we don’t evaluate our choices, we miss out on key opportunities to change course and create better patterns.
A reset can help in many scenarios such as:
In the middle of long to-do list where you’re doing one thing after another without pause
In the middle of an argument
A power struggle with a child or partner
A project you’ve been working on
Any time you feel stuck
When you feel unmotivated and lack clarity
When life feels like it’s passing you by
When relationships feel neglected
When you are experiencing any of these, the first thing to remember is that it’s not just you. Everyone struggles at some point and we all need a reset button and we can all have access to one whenever we need it but this can only happen when we bring awareness to our experience and recognize the need for a pause.
After the awareness piece, consider these ideas for implementing a reset strategy for yourself:
1–Walk
Taking a walk is proven to have many benefits for your heart and mind. Breathing in fresh air and simply walking allows your mind to wander and increases blood flow to the brain, helping us think more clearly. Whenever I can’t solve a problem, I find myself heading for the door so I can walk down our main sidewalk and although not always, I often come back home with a fresh perspective on how to solve my problem. It’s an easy reset button and always accessible!
2– Add Water
Take a shower or bath
Make Wudhu
Drink a cup of tea
Drink Water
Sit by a source of water
Any of the above are simple ways to engage with the enormous blessing of water in our life and it has several calming benefits for us when we do them. It’s no coincidence that when we are angry, one of the Prophetic recommendations is the make wudhu (Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4784).
The act of washing ourselves helps us hit the reset button and start fresh. Even as a parent, I’ve found my daughter immediately feels calmer when I involve her in an activity that involves running water. We make wudhu together, wash her hand towels, play with boats in the water, go outside and water the flower, and drink ginger tea in the evenings.
3 – Make Lists
Journaling may not be for everyone but lists are a no-brainer. I love making lists for all kinds of things when I need clarity. Make a list of any of the following to reset yourself:
Things you love doing
Your favourite memories
Your personal wins
Things you no longer enjoy and want to let go of
People you’d like to connect with (I often feel guilty when making this list to be honest, but it helps me to remember all those who matter and then make a better effort to reach out)
People who inspire you
Blessings you’ve been given
Small joys from your day
Some things you want to learn or are learning
4 – Playfulness
I’m rarely found watching random cat videos on youtube but once in a while, that’s exactly what’s needed. Just this morning, my husband was telling my daughter what an ostrich is and that led to watching a few videos about such an amazing animal … which then led to a few more videos of children and their hilarious encounters with animals at the zoo. We laughed and laughed and laughed. It was an otherwise ordinary morning but being playful helped us all feel so happy and more motivated for the rest of the day.
5 – Kon Mari Your Life
The famous method of organization by Marie Kondo is a great process for resetting our life too. When we feel like things are in a habitual pattern without intention, that’s a sign that we may have too much excess and clutter in our life. This can be in the form of things, gadgets, projects, ideas, and even some relationships. Consider taking stock of everything that’s in excess and taking away everything except what’s necessary. This might look like:
Theming your days for what you want to focus on (work, connecting with others, family time, meal preps, school lessons, etc.)
Times to Unplug
Donating unnecessary things
Re-doing cluttered spaces (think of the end result and not the process :))
Storing loose leaf papers and mail properly
Keep your desk tidy with only the things you need
Make a habit of resetting most of the spaces in your home before you sleep
Set boundaries with people you need to set boundaries with
Keep the things that bring joy and show gratefulness for them
Take a break from projects if you need to. You can adjust your pace at any time!
I hope this was helpful to you! Share any other ideas below for how you like to reset your day or week!
If you know a friend who’s mentioned they could use extra support to get through a harder life season, I have a short waitlist for my psychoeducation sessions, which have led to great results and changes in a short time alhumdulillah. They can book a consult right here.
Till next time,
Asma