Three Ways to Manage Your Mental Health
I am excited to feature my first guest blog, which was written by Rebecca Reese. Rebecca is a lifestyle blogger and a philosophy student from Bournemouth in the UK. You can find the link to her website below the blog. Please visit her site/ follow her on Instagram and give her a shout-out if you enjoy this blog. Thanks Rebecca for sharing your blog! :)
This week I want to give you some tips to improve your mental well-being! We all have mental health and we need to look after ourselves, mind and body. Read below to find out my three fav tips which I encompass into my own life…
Lists
Firstly, lists, lists and more lists. Lists are great to motivate yourself to do tasks, make sure things get done, and get thoughts out of your head. I mainly use lists to motivate myself to achieve small and big goals! For example, over the first lockdown, I wrote a list of things I wanted to achieve by the end of the lockdown – little did I know how long it would last haha – but it gave me something to aim for. I could tick off each activity when I completed it and when I was stuck for something to do I could check the list. I also make weekly and daily lists. I use a weekly planner to write down what I am doing that week, what uni work I have to complete, and which events/zoom calls I am attending. Here is a link to my free downloadable weekly planner if you fancy checking it out.
Now daily lists are what I find most beneficial for my mental health. If you are struggling with motivation, to do work, get up, or achieve a goal, then try setting yourself some small tasks. Having tasks to tick off, improves your mental health as you affirm yourself when you have completed each activity. This makes you feel good and allows you to visually see what you have achieved in your day. If I wake up feeling very demotivated, then I’ll add tasks like having breakfast, doing some house jobs, having a shower, or replying to a message onto my list. If I start with the small tasks, then I’ll often feel more motivated to do the bigger activities. Always be proud of what you achieve in a day, even if its appears small, and be kind to yourself.
Find a way to express how you are feeling
Finding a way to express how you are feeling can be so healing. Whether that’s positivity, thankfulness, or struggles with anxiety or depression, expressing yourself in a way that suits you can help you feel inner peace. Artistically, this could look like journaling, painting, writing, poetry or photography. But you could also channel your emotions into exercise such as: running, team sports, or dance. Tap into how you are feeling and give yourself an outlet. For me, this looks like art or poetry to express how I feel. But for quite a few of my friends, this looks like setting aside time for a run each week or journaling their feelings.
Be kind to yourself
Lastly, be kind to yourself and allow yourself to feel how you feel. Acknowledging how you are feeling can sometimes be such a relief. If you are having a bad day, acknowledge that and give yourself a break. Take a longer lunch break, plan a relaxing evening or stay in bed and watch a film. There’s a time to push through how you’re feeling and a time to be kind to yourself and have a break. You could even make a plan for times when you are struggling with your mental health of things that bring you comfort and joy. This could look like lighting a candle or putting on your old fav Netflix show. I would also add that learning about mental health can make you feel empowered when you acknowledge how you feel. The more you understand about your emotions, the less scary it can be when you aren’t full of happiness. Give yourself the love and respect you deserve on the good and bad days.
I hope you liked these tips and find them useful. If you are interested in learning more about anxiety therapy and how it can help you, please contact me.
You can follow Rebecca’s Instagram and subscribe to her blog on her website.