Each time you think about your worry, you reinforce its grip on you. Distraction breaks this by forcing you to think about other things. If you distract yourself with something sufficiently compelling, you will stop ruminating and start to feel better.
Distraction works because it interrupts your mood and forces you to “change gears”. Many negative moods contain an element of rumination to them. When you ruminate, you go over your problem or worry again and again in your mind.
Don’t torture yourself by fixating on what caused the pain you’re suffering from. What has happened has already been done and cannot be undone. Going over it again and again in your mind will only make things worse for you. Ask yourself, what can you do now?
While suffering from emotional pain you may not even want to get out of bed. Yet, moving when you’re feeling down can give you energy and lift your spirits. Any type of physical movement can help you release the pain from your body. Go for a short walk, try yoga or dance to music.
The activity that you engage yourself in as a means of distraction should be both absorbing and interesting to you. Doing this thing should either require your full attention, or be so absorbing of your attention in its detail that you will forget yourself.
Distraction is a surprisingly effective technique for changing your mood. When you realise that you have become upset, choose to interrupt your negative mood by engaging in something that distracts you from what has upset you.
Try a new hobby, something that you’ve always wanted to try or something that you know you love but haven’t made the time for. Create a vision board and paste images of everything that speaks to you. Use this to help you identify your interests and passions.
Shopping, food, and alcohol aren’t a problem on their own in moderation, but when any of them become your primary coping strategy against emotional pain, it can lead to more stress than relief.
Everyone gets overwhelmed from time to time, but prevention is the key. Think about what things need to be in place on a regular basis for you to perform at your best. Think about what works for you.
When stress is high, it’s important to know what makes you feel calm and relaxed. Otherwise it’s easy to turn to unhelpful coping strategies. What calms you when stressors are high? Take a moment to reflect so you’re ready when you’re feeling overwhelmed.