Put Your Mental Health At The Top Of Your To-do List: 5 Tips For The Months Ahead
Put Your Mental Health At The Top Of Your To-do List: 5 Tips For The Months Ahead
Prioritising your mental health is a priority – not when you’re feeling anxious.
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We have been through a tough time during the pandemic.
Staying at home has kept us safe from the infection, but it has brought many personal and professional challenges.
Going back to work and mixing with people again will feel scary. You may have been bereaved, faced financial difficulties, homeschooling, isolated or overwhelmed.
Here are the best tips that you can do to support your mental health in the coming months.
- Get plenty of sleep
Having a good night’s sleep is the best thing you can do for yourself.
- Establish a regular good bedtime routine every evening. Lock the house. Take a bath, read a book, listen to relaxing music.
- Turn off your phone an hour before bed.
- Make your bedroom as dark as possible use an eye mask if you have too. Earplugs if the room is noisy.
- Avoid watching television in bed.
- If you struggle to get to sleep: Face the clock the other way, don’t watch the clock. If you are lying in bed worrying, get out of bed and go downstairs, try writing your worries down. Don’t make yourself too comfortable. Go back to bed when you are feeling more relaxed.
- Before bed keep a Gratitude Journal and write the things you are grateful for in the day.
- Be kind to yourself
Being kind to yourself and to others is a great way to look after your mental health. But be aware that other’s needs are not more important than yours.
- Talk to yourself with kindness and compassion.
- Forgive yourself when you make a mistake.
- Accept your humanness.
- Do something you enjoy
- Allow yourself time to rest. Do nothing.
- Being kind to others and not wanting anything back in return makes you feel good. Doing good for others and acts of kindness are good for them but also good for you. It releases the feel-good hormones dopamine and serotonin.
- Learn something new boosts well-being. Improving your sense of purpose and satisfaction. You could read a book, watch online tutorials, set yourself a project, learn a new language. Learn from YouTube.
- Acknowledge your emotions
The way we feel will be different for everyone. Don’t compare yourself to others. How you are feeling is important. You are not weak for feeling scared or confused.
- Listen to yourself, your emotions are telling you something.
- Acknowledge how you are feeling.
- Name the emotion.
- Own the emotion.
- Respond to it with compassion.
- If you are feeling angry. Take some time and ask yourself why are you feeling angry? Respond to your emotion with compassion and understanding. If you need to share why you are feeling angry. Take some time to reflect and communicate it back by owning your anger… e.g. “I am aware that I am feeling angry and that is making me feel uncomfortable. “I feel angry because…” in that way you are responding to your anger and getting your point across without being aggressive. You are getting your needs met without bullying the other person.
- Talk and connect with others
Connecting with people we can trust is a simple pleasure that lifts our spirits. Friends share and check out their perceptions of what is going on, reducing emotional pressure. It builds self-esteem and a strong sense of identity.
Studies have also noted the significant health benefits of those with strong social networks.
- Invest in building the relationship. When you are together tune into them. Nobody likes someone who spends all their time on the phone or daydreaming.
- If you are struggling for time maybe you could combine the food shopping together and have a chat at the same time with your friend.
- Go for a walk and talk. The added benefits of the fresh air and exercise.
- Spend time with one who enjoys the same hobby
- Learning something new together and meet new people at the same time.
- Cook a meal together.
- Live to your values.
Living to your values, not one that is imposed by society gives you a greater sense of fulfilment and happiness.
Ask yourself what is important to you. Block out time to honour the things you value. Be patient with yourself. It may take some time.
- If you value your beauty. Make room for beauty by having a beauty routine.
- Eating together as a family or time on your own.
- Spending time in the garden, riding your bike.
- Mediation may be important to you.
- You may want to volunteer for a charity you are passionate about.
- Standing up for something that is important to you.
If this article has raised any issues for you, then please get in touch. I offer face-to-face and online support via WhatsApp and Zoom.
Diane Woolrich is a Counsellor and Hypnotherapist working in private practice. She helps people live a life that is true to themselves, to be kind to themselves by changing their negative thoughts and behaviours, to be able to fulfil their true potential.