As we continue to develop our knowledge and discover new things, it has become increasingly clear that our mental health and physical well being are intertwined, a topic we’ve explored in past blog posts on chronic stress, meditation, the power of pause, and gratitude. During times of stress it’s important to care for both our physical and our mental health. It’s good to have a “toolkit” of strategies to use when facing everyday stresses, as well as extraordinary circumstances.

Here are a few options to add to your “toolkit” and keep you grounded and centered:

Take a break.

If you find yourself feeling anxious or overwhelmed, give yourself permission to take a break. Find a quiet spot and take some time to yourself away from others — physically AND digitally! The connection that our modern world allows can build a wonderful sense of community, but it can also mean that we experience an excess of input. Time alone is essential to reconnect to yourself and your inner sense of peace.

Connect to your senses.

In a matter of a few seconds, you can change your mind state by connecting to your senses. Focusing on concrete things that you see, smell, hear and feel helps to interrupt any negative thought patterns and brings you back into the present moment. Use the adjacent grounding checklist any time your thoughts start to get the better of you, and take three deep, slow breaths.

Do a body scan.

A recent study showed that doing a body scan reduced stress hormones. Try this 8 minute body scan meditation from mindfulness app Step, Breathe & Think to start feeling more grounded and present.

Mindful Movement.

A mindfulness or meditation practice doesn’t have to be still and seated. You can make any of your daily activities a time for mindfulness and centering by simply bringing your attention wholly to the task at hand. Being mindful is the opposite of being on autopilot. It means that you are completely present in the moment. Choose a daily activity to do mindfully like washing the dishes or walking to your car. As you perform the actions of the task, notice how your body feels, notice each detail of items you interact with, your breathing, and the sights, smells and sounds around you. For more inspiration check out this walking meditation from Portland’s Enso Ensemble.

Do something analog.

If all of these mindfulness practices just aren’t working for you, keep it simple. Hit the Do Not Disturb button on your phone and do something analog like taking a walk, doing a craft or hobby, reading a book, or simply sitting on your porch or in a park.

If none of these options are tools that work for you, find something that is. Maybe it’s having a conversation with a loved one, exercising, or cleaning the house. Whatever it is, the important thing is that you know what works for you! What’s in your self-care, stress-management toolkit?