5 Top Tips For Switching Off From The Urban Jungle

For the last ten years I have spent at least two months a year in the Peruvian Amazon. It was my escape from the ongoing noise of the urban jungle. A place that for me was my ‘spiritual’ home. A place where I could go into deep isolation and communion with nature. A place where I felt whole, complete, and connected.

It made living in London bearable and I always thought that if the world locked down I would be deep in the Amazon and away from the chaos.

But life had other plans and the Amazon is now another world away.

There’s no longer an escape from the intense energy of the urban jungle so finding ways of switching off from the noise and chaos has become essential.

Here are 5 useful tips that I’d like to share to help you switch off:

1. Take Regular Breaks

Take regular breaks throughout the day to just stop and breathe. Come back into your body and become aware of the present. Check in to see how you are feeling without judging. Still the mind chatter by concentrating on the breath.

2. Daydream

Make some time every day to daydream. Let your imagination wonder into all the possibilities open to you. Feel the expansiveness of dreaming and how you feel after.

3. Go into Nature

Go into nature without your phone and actively listen to the wind, the sun, the rain, the trees, the birds. It harmonises our minds and helps us switch off from negative thoughts.

4. Join a Class

If you find it challenging to make the time, do a shamanic journey, sound healing or join a meditation class or yoga Nidra, that creates the space for you to switch off.

5. Start a Morning Practise

Start a morning practise that gives you the space to prepare yourself for the day. Write out a to do list. When we get it out of our heads and onto paper, it automatically feels more manageable.

This lockdown situation is going to last for a while, so it’s essential we pace ourselves now and take the time to look after ourselves otherwise burn out will be inevitable.