This post is based on The window of tolerance
Because our main goal is to stay within the window of tolerance, we need to learn how to regulate ourselves within the yellow area.
We distinguish between self-regulation and relational regulation. Most people favor one or the other, but it is important to be able to use both in order to react appropriately in different situations.
You can find out more about relational regulation over here
Self-regulation
There are a great number of ways to self-regulate.
One of them is distraction.
The idea behind distraction is to take your attention away from feelings, thoughts or memories and focus it on a task or action that needs your full attention. That way you leave no room for the negative, while you actively work on creating a different experience.
Here are some ideas how you could distract yourself in a useful way while at home:
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cleaning (as heavy as you need to, maybe a good time for deep-cleaning)
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cooking/baking
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tidying your home
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hand washing things
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ironing/ folding clothes
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decorating
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de-cluttering your pantry (or anything, really)
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planning meals/ a party/ finances/ shopping lists
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repairing things (sewing?)
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…
Skills don’t have to be useful. They can simply be entertaining:
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watch a movie
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or comedy (we like Ellen DeGeneres “here and now” show)
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computer games (even Candy Crush works well)
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read
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listen to an audio book
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watch YouTube videos (we recommend cute puppy videos)
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learn something new from the internet
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catch up with gossip
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puzzles, Sudoku, crossword puzzles, tangram…
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listen to music (and sing along!)
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comics
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Netflix/ your favorite series
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…
The idea of distraction is to be active and create a different reality for yourself. Which means that everything that is creative will help you:
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paint something
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coloring book
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draw the things around you
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use play dough to create something
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draw something on your computer while holding the mouse upside down
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knit, crochet, embroider something
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take artistic photos
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craft something
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create postcards for friends
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create your own decoration
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pottery (there is air-drying clay you can use)
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work with stone
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photoshop something
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write a poem or play
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write a short story
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write a blog 😉
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create your own puzzle
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build something with legos or random items
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make up a story
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use guided imagery
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…
The possibilities of creativity are endless. Try whatever you can find and see what works best for you.
Every kind of sports and workout can help you to be active and distract you from other things:
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running
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skating
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weight lifting
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martial arts
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swimming
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hiking
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climbing
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dancing
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team sports like football, soccer, volleyball, hockey, basketball, that you can practice for alone
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yoga
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pilates
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boxing
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rowing
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archery
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skate boarding
Check out wikipedia for a longer lists of possible sports
These are just some ideas for distraction.
To be continued….
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