Mental health is your overall well-being.
We ALL have mental health; it is a continuum. Our mental health also does not stay stagnant either; it moves up and down the continuum depending on different situations and circumstances in your life.
How can we practice having better mental health, better well-being?
One way is exercising self care. For many I am aware that this is like an alien concept. Many stare at me blankly in the face…until it dawns on them that they do not know what it means in their lives, then the anger at neglecting themselves for all this time sets in, and then the realisation that they can do something about it, then the despair at the time wasted, but then the compassion and excitement about realising that though they cannot change the past, they can start learning and honouring themselves with self care, from today.
No one is going to take responsibility for your self care; only you can do that. Only you can set the boundaries.
Some examples of self care:
1. Actually taking a lunch break, away from your place of work, taking a break from your work
2. Exercise
3. Spending time and connecting with loved ones
4. Knowing what your margins are, not allowing yourself to get close to the edge and saying NO way before you get there
5. Engaging in your hobbies regularly
6. Taking a breather/pause in your day, or also days, to gain clarity, perspective, rather than getting dragged along by whatever external noises might be pulling you away from what you intend to be focussing on
7. Limiting your mobile phone, device, computer usage
8. Switch off your app notifications
9. Focussing on one thing at a time. (Multi-tasking is a lie; it only leaves us panicked, juggling too many things at a time and feeling like we are not good at anything…because in reality you are not giving 100% to anything)
10. Take all of your holiday off – do not work during your holiday. Take a sick day when you are sick.
This is not an exhaustive list. What can you do for yourself today to exercise better self care, to improve your mental health?