You’re busy, we get it. You’re taking care of your kids, your job, and trying to find some time for yourself. Even with all the challenges you face in a day, you know that improving your mental health is the most basic thing you can do for yourself and those around you. The benefits are real and wide-ranging — from better sleep and more energy to a greater sense of fulfillment at work or home. But how can you take that first step? Here are five simple ways to start on the road to boosting your mental health today.
1. Understand what mental health actually is
It’s certainly never too early or too late for self-care or to learn more about your mental health with caring guidance. Everyone can take essential steps to improve their mental well-being, and doing so may help you lead a healthier life. We all experience mental health hinderances at some point in our lives, but we don’t all have a disorder (mental illness) or experience serious consequences.
It doesn’t mean that you can’t be happy, or that you don’t have relationships. It simply means that you need to learn how to manage your feelings in a way that works for you.
Having mental well-being means being able to cope emotionally and psychologically in a healthy way.
Mental health and mental illness
Some people experience mental disorders, which are defined as an observable change in how a person’s mind works that significantly affects his daily life, including mood and behaviour.
Mental health is about your overall well-being. It’s about being mentally well and not suffering from any illnesses. Mental health is something that can be lost over time, so it is vital to maintain a healthy state of mind.
Learning about your mental health can help you identify when you need to seek further help.
2. Cultivate mental wellness
Just like you eat your vegetables to stay healthy, there are things you can do to support your mental health.
Look after your body and mind
Exercising regularly, eating a nutritious foods, getting plenty of sleep and drinking enough water can all play a part in your mental health. Reducing the use of cigarettes, alcohol and drugs can also be useful for your mental well-being.
Build meaningful relationships
Feeling connection with others is a basic emotional necessity, and it can help you feel better mentally. Some people connect with others in more than one way. For some, a favourite hobby or group of people that they spend time with on a regular basis is the most important connection they have. Others may find a close relationship with family members, co-workers, or classmates very important.
Find your purpose
Feeling like you have a purpose can be an incredibly motivating factor. While finding a job with a well-defined role and a safety net might be the best way to give yourself purpose, it isn’t always necessary.
Give your mind a workout
Mindfulness is a practice in which you try to understand your thoughts, feelings and sensations as they arise. It’s also called meditation or a mental exercise. Practising mindfulness can help you learn how to deal with stress, learn to relax, and remain calm.
Tools like the Your Mental Well-being Building Blocks can help you map out different areas of life and challenges that may affect your overall health and happiness.
Problem solving
Before problems arise, anticipate them by taking action. The best way to prepare for possible problems is to take action on your own behalf and in advance. This will help you prevent the problem from occurring or dealing with it as quickly as possible. By learning from past mistakes, you can prevent costly issues in the future.
Identify at least two people who might have some knowledge or expertise about a possible solution to your problem.
Set Goals
It is important to establish a daily schedule to keep you on track. Setting and achieving goals will help you to plan your day, improve your motivation, and make your life more satisfying.
Goals can be related to: working out running playing sports planning a social evening.
3. Find ways to decrease stress
Stress is something that affects everyone and causes negative physical and mental effects. While occasional stress can be motivating, chronic stress is a destructive force that can be damaging to the body and mind.
Some strategies for reducing stress are: identifying the triggers that cause your stress, learning to relax, establishing clear and realistic goals, making time for enjoyable activities, and using tools like works lists to prioritize your daily tasks.
4. Take time out
Sometimes you feel stressed, overwhelmed, or overworked. When this happens, it is helpful to schedule time away from work to take a mental break and let your mind and body reset. Taking a day off from work to focus on self-care can help you feel refreshed, calm and less stressed. An stress-free way to do this is by setting up an automatic reminder on your phone when you should switch off the screen in the evening.
5. Get help when needed
It’s important to know you can reach out for help if you’re feeling stressed or depressed. You should also be alert to the signs that it’s time to seek professional help, including: your mood is affecting your ability to cope at work, school or in your relationships Receiving help from professionals or attending a treatment facility is a great idea to improve your mental health. At Ledgehill Treatment Center for Women, they offer psychiatric support and evidence-based treatment programs.
You can take this approach a step further and promote mental well-being at your workplace so that your colleagues and business can benefit from it.
Promote mental well-being at workplace
As a manager, you have the power to introduce valuable mental health programs and resources in your workplace. These programs can help reduce employee stress, anxiety, and depression – all of which are proven to be significant contributors to absenteeism, turnover and other costly losses for businesses.
A mentally healthy workplace promotes creativity, innovation, productivity, and engagement. A more mentally healthy workforce can result in a healthier organization. Customer service has become an essential part of the online shopping experience.
Today’s consumers want to be heard immediately when they encounter problems with their products or with their shopping experience. Brands are beginning to realize that customer service [well-being] is a must in order for them to engage with potential and existing customers.