Busy Brain? Here's How to Calm It

You’re in the middle of a normal day when something snaps… an offhand comment, a calendar alert, the sixth email before 9 a.m. And suddenly your brain is spiraling.

You try to focus, but your thoughts won’t cooperate. You feel tired but wired. You want to fix it, but there’s no time.

You don’t need a week off. You need something now.

And surprisingly, you already have it. The tools are inside your body, your breath, your choices. But when you’re overwhelmed, it’s hard to remember what helps.

So here’s a list. Tangible. Quick. Use it in traffic, between tasks, after a tense moment with your kid, coworker, or yourself.

What You Can Do in 60 Seconds

Let’s be real: some days you’re lucky to get a quiet minute, let alone an hour of self-care. That’s why the first tool is one you can do with your eyes open, in the middle of chaos.

Mindful breathing.

No app needed. No meditation background required.

Just pause. Inhale slowly through your nose. Count to four. Hold for four. Exhale through your mouth for six. Do it again. Two or three times.

This signals to your brain: we’re not in danger. Even when the world feels like it’s on fire.

Tip: Pair it with a physical anchor. Hold a warm mug. Grip the steering wheel. Touch something solid.

What You Can Do in 5 Minutes

Okay, maybe you’ve got a few minutes before the next meeting. Or maybe you’re standing in your kitchen, trying not to cry into a sink of dishes.

Here’s what helps.

Move your body, even just a little.

Walk to the mailbox. Shake your arms. Do a weird little dance in your socks.

You’re not trying to “exercise.” You’re telling your nervous system: We’re not stuck.

Your body holds stress in your jaw, your neck, your back. You don’t have to “fix” it. Just shift it.

What You Can Do With a Pen and Paper

Ever feel like you’re thinking in circles?

You probably are. That’s where naming what you feel gives your brain a handrail.

Try this Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) strategy (name the thought, question it, shift your response):

• Write down the emotion: I feel anxious.

• Then write why: I’m anxious because I’m waiting on news.

• Then write what you need: I need to remember I can’t control the outcome, but I can go for a walk.

You don’t have to journal like it’s homework. Just get the swirl out of your head and onto the page.

What You Can Do to Protect Your Energy

Let’s talk about boundaries. Not the big dramatic kind. The quiet, unseen, life-saving kind.

Set a gentle no.

Maybe it sounds like:

• “Thanks for thinking of me, but I can’t make it this time.”

• “I’d love to help, but I don’t have the capacity today.”

• “Let me get back to you after I check my schedule.”

Boundaries aren’t walls. They’re bridges back to yourself.

You do not have to explain, defend, or overcompensate. You can just... protect your peace.

Reminder: Boundaries are one of the most effective long-term tools for stress relief… and the hardest to practice alone. That’s where therapy helps.

How CBT Supports Busy, Anxious Brains

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) isn’t just some clinical framework. It’s a toolkit.

It helps you:

• Notice your patterns (like catastrophizing or black-and-white thinking)

• Challenge unhelpful beliefs (like “I can’t say no” or “I should be able to handle this”)

• Replace them with doable, honest, helpful thoughts

Here’s the thing: CBT doesn’t change your feelings. It helps you build a new relationship with them.

So instead of being inside the tornado of your thoughts, you learn how to step outside of it.

That moment (of noticing, of choosing differently) that’s where change starts.

You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

At HML Wellness Solutions, we’ve worked with people in Prince George and across BC and Canada  who are juggling too much, holding it all together, and quietly falling apart behind the scenes.

We see you.

We specialize in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for stress, anxiety, depression as well as Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and other approaches that meet you where you are. No pressure. No judgment.

We also understand that life doesn’t pause just because you need support. That’s why we offer both in-person counseling services in Prince George BC and online counseling services across BC and Canada. So you can choose what works best for your life.

Last Thing Before You Go

This list? It’s not a replacement for therapy. But it’s a starting point. A hand on your back. A whisper that says, you don’t have to wait until you’re in crisis to get help.

These tools are yours now. Use them. Practice them. And if you want someone in your corner as you figure out what’s next?

We’re here.

Book Your Session

 You’ve got options. Let’s find the ones that work for you.