7 Effective Habits That Make You a Calmer Person
Calmness is a superpower. Not many people possess it, and not many retain it over long periods. In our fast-paced, ever-changing world, calmness is the exception, not the norm. A calm temper is, however, indispensable to productivity, apt decision-making, and social tactfulness. On this basis, here are seven effective habits that make you a calmer person.
I’ve always been fascinated by calm, composed people who don’t let external negativity or personal setbacks destroy their peace.
In this context, one question generally arises: what superpowers do these people possess?
On my minimalist journey, I realized that you learn these superpowers over time.
Habits that make you a calmer person
By adopting a mindful attitude in your everyday life, your calmness levels will surge. It’s not magic – it’s merely a congregation of the right habits.
The following are seven effective habits that make you a calmer person.
Never leaving a mess
Some people thrive in messes of their own making – but in general terms – disorganization does not further calmness.
There are many instances where serenity is a direct result of clean, decluttered spaces.
In the morning, make your bed right after getting up. It may be a simple act, but it creates the instant feeling of “having done something” before starting the day. Don’t leave dishes in your sink. Many of us live in our kitchens. We spend a lot of time here and often associate them with positive emotions of delicious food.
Consequently, a tidy kitchen without clutter adds to your calmness by clearing one of your most-used spaces.
Various other simple yet meaningful chores instill calmness into your everyday life. In this context, a great way to take care of these trivial acts is to establish a “minimalist good habits list.”
Write down all the small chores that hinder your calmness in everyday life. Take a few minutes after breakfast, lunch, and dinner to complete those tasks. By dealing with them right away, you’ll avoid a massive pile of small chores at the end of the week.
Walking as much as possible
Walking is synonymous with slowing down. And slowing down is a powerful antidote to everyday stress.
Look at your commutes. I’m sure you can find walkable stretches on which you currently drive or use public transport.
Many people underestimate the calming potency of daily walks. Even a five-minute walk will help your mind switch from hustle and bustle mode to peacefulness.
In this regard, walking is an excellent method to empty your mind and calm your nerves. Better still, the health benefits of using your legs instead of motorized vehicles are unquestionable.
In a nutshell, walking boosts your immune system, reduces your pain, and decreases your susceptibility to illness.
Self-care routines
If your calmness levels aren’t satisfactory, self-care routines can play their part.
Meditative activities, sports, and body care are undoubtedly habits that make you a calmer person.
The emphasis lies on building habits.
If you go to the gym once every full moon, your serenity will hardly profit. If you meditate once every five months, you won’t seize the benefits of regular meditation. And if you only eat healthy, whole foods on the weekend, you won’t notice any improvements.
Self-care habits need to evolve into automatized routines to secure your calmness. Once you’ve found your best self-care rituals, they will become part of your regular day-to-day life.
If you’re a gym fanatic, you’ll know that after years of consistent training, the gym will become a natural self-care habit, akin to brushing your teeth.
The same applies to meditation, running, and reading.
All of these habits can become fully-automated mechanisms.
You’ll perform those acts without thinking twice. You’ll bolster your calmness on autopilot. Better still, this automatic process will secure your mental serenity over long periods.
Using your phone intentionally
Our phones are indispensable, but also distractions.
Endless social media feeds, incessant notifications, and constant news streams hamper our calmness – always transporting our mind into external occurrences.
When it comes to digital habits that make you a calmer person, intentionality is crucial. Use your phone as a tool – not a means to fight your boredom.
In this context, digital minimalism works wonders for your peace of mind. Establish your social media consumption norms. Set a daily time limit for your screen time.
Don’t take your phone out just because you have to wait five minutes for the train.
And finally, technology should serve your life, not the other way around.
If you consistently open Instagram to compare yourself to others, it might be time to uninstall the app for a while. These comparisons illustrate the agitating effect of social media – working against your inner tranquility.
Training your reactions
“If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.” – Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
If you’re into Stoicism, you’ll know that your reactions are crucial to your stillness and serenity.
We don’t control external events, but we do control our reactions. And these reactions ultimately determine our inner levels of calmness.
How can Stoic habits make you a calmer person?
Basic Stoic exercises offer the perfect starting point.
Look at a few things happening in the world. Measure your reactions.
Are you upset by outside events? Are you beating yourself up for things you can’t control? Can you influence those events?
Focus on reacting with moderation, calmness, and intelligence. No matter if it’s a personal woe, a global situation, or a local problem, train your reactions.
As with most mental exercises, practice makes perfect. The more you train your Stoic mindset, the more you’ll react with calmness and adequacy instead of excessive anger and frustration.
Limiting news consumption
Along the lines of training your reactions, limited news consumption can make you a calmer person.
I’m not saying that you should never follow the news.
You should, however, follow the news with purpose and temperance.
Identify a few reliable news sources and cut out all the others.
How many? One would not suffice, but two or three platforms usually do the trick – especially if they are from sides of the political spectrum.
Next, limit your news consumption to a specific point in the day.
I usually read a few stories in The Economist and The Wall Street Journal during lunchtime.
Don’t get me wrong. These outlets are by no means perfect, but I find them more thorough and less sensationalist than most other sources. For the rest of the day, I don’t watch or listen to the news. I keep my thoughts clear of endless news cycles – prioritizing calmness.
My last rule concerns the purpose of my news consumption.
I read the news for two reasons: staying informed and deciphering lessons for the future.
News stories can have an agitating effect. That’s why I don’t consult them out of boredom. In that same vein, I don’t read news for entertainment purposes.
Prioritizing slow growth instead of instant gratification
Finally, the last major calmness-inducing habit is your general outlook on life. In this regard, calm people prioritize slow growth, not instant gratification.
Whether it’s your personal or professional life, instant gratification will almost always lead to long-term problems. Slow growth, on the other hand, ensures calmness in the long run.
If you always give in to junk food cravings, you’ll receive instant rewards but potential health problems in the future. Job X might pay you best today, but it might not give you any chances of ascending on your professional ladder. And if you value cheap entertainment more than personal development, chances are you’ll always watch Netflix instead of reading books.
Calmness ensues when you are comfortable with the journey you’re on.
Once you know that your personal and professional growth is underway, you’ll be less inclined to chase instant rewards. You’ll also learn how to deal with temporary setbacks. And finally, you’ll be calm along the way, because you trust your journey as a whole, even if a few stations present obstacles.
Useful links on 7 Effective Habits That Make You a Calmer Person
- more in the section “Life”
- read 6 Mindful Ways to Slow Your Life Down
- read How to Know When It’s Time to Slow Your Life Down
- more under the topic “Mindfulness”
- read 6 Ways to Empty Your Mind if You Are Stressed Out
Don’t miss a beat!
