Are you in a constant state of stress, possibly without even realizing it? Could be due to that endless chatter in your head. Time to tame the monkey mind.

Hey, you are not alone. Most of us have some repetitive thoughts going on in our minds most of the time. It’s a state often called “monkey mind.”

Some say this metaphor came from Buddha, others claim it is of Chinese or Hindu origin. Wherever it began, the term monkey mind does a good job of summing up incessant and racing thoughts.

This mental chatter could be causing worry, anxiety, distraction, lack of creativity, and other negative emotions. There are ways to tame these beasts and gain control over your mind.

6 Monkey Mind Taming Tips

1 Strike a Pose: You probably aren’t surprised to see yoga on this list. Why does practicing yoga have a calming effect on the mind? The intentional breathing done while practicing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which lowers blood pressure and  heart rate, and slows breathing. Calmer body, calmer mind. Try these yoga poses for instant calm.

2 Get Om: Another usual suspect on getting centered. Sick of the meditation revolution yet? As we’ve said here before, there are many ways to meditate beyond the crossed-legged om-chanting posture. Try guided meditation or get yourself to a meditation studio. And I love this list of fun ways to meditate, especially number two.

3 Do What You are Doing: Sounds easy enough, right? But how ‘in the moment’ are we when folding clothes, doing dishes, making dinner, and other daily tasks? Chances are, not very. These mundane duties give us a chance to plan, contemplate, and make decisions–and fret, worry, and obsess. Eckhart Tolle, master of living in the present moment, maintains that being in the here and now is the route to peace and happiness. It may take some getting used to, but give mindful tasking a try. Need some inspo? Eckhart shares with Oprah two ways to get present.

4 Talk With the Monkeys: Okay. I admit this one sounds a little crazy. But this is an important exercise in confronting your fears. Trying to avoid problem thoughts often makes the issue seem much worse than it is. Ask yourself what it is that’s truly bothering you or that you can’t quit thinking about. What’s the worst that will happen if this thought happens in real life? Can you handle that? Most likely, you can. It’s amazing how addressing fear can abate worrisome thoughts.

5 Step Away From the Device: Yes, the cell phone, tablet, or laptop. What’s the big deal? Manoush Zomorodi, host of WNYC’s New Tech City podcast, found that less screen time can free up mind space. Through her seven day Bored and Brilliant campaign, Zomorodi put participants through daily tasks aimed at awakening awareness. The biggest take away from the campaign: people felt less distracted and more inspired when they stopped multitasking and allowed their minds less distraction.

6 Gaze in the Right Direction: You may be surprised to learn that what we look at and for how long affects how focused or distracted we are. Duke University researchers studied monkeys’ eyes (I know, again with the monkeys) for links to the brain’s focus. The study distracted monkeys from a task by showing them pictures of other monkeys. By monitoring brain activity, scientist found that a set of neurons were only active when the monkeys were trying to do two things at once, complete a task while being distracted by pictures. The neuron sets were inactive when the monkeys were doing just one task at a time. The theory goes that when humans are trying to pay attention to two different things, it triggers a “conflict” circuit in a region of the brain called the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC). The dACC is part of a larger brain structure that controls rational thought and emotions. Moral of the story, try concentrating your focus on one thing at a time for better productivity and peace of mind.

Quieting the noisy mind is something we all deal with. Do you have other tips to taming your inner monkeys?

Related on EcoSalon

The Many Benefits of Meditation for Your Mind and Body

Refuse to Worry (And How to be More Useful for Your Friends)

Positive Thinking: Health Benefits of PMA

Image of monkeys via Shutterstock

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If the already perfect storm of baffling high-tech driving distractions weren’t enough, GM’s OnStar adds Facebook to your mix of thought options to consider while changing lanes.

Though still in an experimental stage, the “hands-free” (safety first, right?) social media access system could be available to some subscribers as early as the end of the month. (OnStar subscriptions start at $199 a year.) Using it, a driver could update his or her Facebook status simply by speaking out loud (i.e., Scott Adelson is driving). Users will also be able to listen to Facebook newsfeeds and messages read to them in a friendly, let’s say sultry, OnStar voice: Hello Scott”¦ Bambi wants to be your friend. (Ahem. I digress”¦)

But wait, there’s more! The Bluetooth-based system will also read text messages and let a driver reply using one of four pre-set replies with a simple touch of a steering-wheel button. I’m not sure if you’ll be able to create your own reply. Maybe something like “Crashing my car, not LMAO!”

GM (OnStar) has been engaged in a losing battle with Big Three rival Ford Motor Co. (Sync), for the hearts and mind of the younger tech-savvy set. According to the The Detroit News, GM has recently announced a partnership with Google to link smart phones to OnStar so subscribers can search for directions by voice and download maps. The company has also introduced a new “OnStar mobile app” that allows drivers to remotely unlock doors, start the ignition, check tire pressure and fuel economy, and more.

Meanwhile, Ford’s Sync system is moving ahead with its own plans, says the Detroit Free Press. The next generation of Sync, will also allow users to read and reply to text messages. And while Sync won’t hook up with Facebook, later this year it’ll start to plug into Twitter, Pandora and Stitcher.

Ironically, to me at least, OnStar was originally developed for safety. And though it doesn’t take a Ph.D. in Psychology to figure out that this stuff will cause problems behind the wheel, I’m going to quote one anyway. Driver distraction expert David Strayer, Ph.D., writing for Car Talk: “…these systems neglect the cognitive sources of distraction. Over a decade of research has documented that interacting with systems like this can divert attention from driving and result in substantial impairments. Simply put, you cannot pay attention to two different things at the same time.  If you are updating the status of your Facebook account, you are not paying attention to the road.” He adds, “The driver next to you may be updating their Facebook account and their reactions will be about as bad as if they were drunk.”

Nice, huh? Well, so much for technology making our world a safer place. Can’t wait to see this update: “Facebook Username; Just hit a tree.”

Image: Open Box

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