Distraction Necessary
Although I have a pretty easygoing life for the most part, there are days where I feel overwhelmed, with too much going on, too much to do, and too much clogging up my mind. It’s in these instances that I look for something to distract me, something to help me relax for a while. These distractions usually fall under one of three categories.
Distraction One: Watching TV
The distraction tactic I use the most often is some kind of digital diversion. This is the most easily accessed for me, as I can easily turn on the TV, or log on to the computer, and watch something that helps me forget whatever is stressing me out. However, the only problem with this tactic is that I have to zone out for a while watching TV to relax, and when I’m done, I’m left with a feeling that I haven’t accomplished anything. This doesn’t help relax me in the long run, so even though I end up using this strategy often, I try to keep it at short intervals at a time.
Distraction Two: Reading a Book
Hannah Reading: Distraction Two!
The second distraction I have for myself is reading. Reading helps me escape whatever obstacle I’m overcoming, and allows me to immerse myself in a scenario where the problem is usually much worse than whatever I’m dealing with. An example of this would be if I were stressing about a test that I’m struggling to study for, and I read one of the Harry Potter books. When I put the book down, I find myself thinking, Well, the test might be difficult, but at least the fate of the entire world isn’t depending on me, and whether or not I can destroy one of the most powerful wizards in history. Reading helps me put my problems into perspective.
Distraction Three: Listening to Music
However, my favorite distraction is listening to music. TV allows me to completely zonk out for a while, and reading changes my mindset about issues I’m having, but music actually helps me solve those issues. Instead of merely ignoring the problem, or altering the way I think about it, I can actually think up a solution to make it better. For example, in regards to my earlier illustration, when I listen to music, after thinking for a few minutes, I would come to the conclusion that if I wanted to get a good grade on said test, I would have to study a little bit every night, and work for the grade that I wanted.
Another convenient aspect to listening to music is that it doesn’t take very long to relax me. TV or digital distractions only distract me while I’m watching them, and so I tend to take up more time when I apply those tactics. Reading takes about the same amount of time as TV, and sometimes a little longer, because even after I’m done, I can think about the story and consider alternate endings and such even while I’m working on the task that was making me feel stressed. However, music only takes a few minutes to relax me, and usually has me smiling within minutes. After all, it’s difficult to stay sad from stress when you’re listening to Owl City! (my favorite band at the moment).
Escape Briefly; Don’t Procrastinate
We can’t escape stress. Nor can we escape the everyday worries and woes that life throws at us. However, there are plenty of escape options that allow us to step outside of our worries, if only for a few minutes, so that we can regain the energy to stand back up, smile, and face life head-on. Find what helps you destress, and then use it to your hearts content. However, just remember to keep those distractions from becoming tools for procrastination. See you next week!
“Reprinted from Hagel Publications, Inc. dba as Courier Newspapers”