The power of taking care of yourself has become increasingly more evident, particularly with regards to looking after our mental health. Self-care comes in numerous forms, from physical health, to emotional wellbeing, to spiritual wellbeing. Each of us has a unique set of personal needs that can only be nurtured through dedication to our own self-care. By putting aside time to focus on our mental health, we can foster a healthier mind, body, and soul. Let’s explore the power of self-care and how it can positively impact our mental health.
1. Expand Your Definition of Self-Care
Self-care should NOT be limited to face masks, bubble baths, and pampering yourself with expensive skincare products. Self-care can sometimes mean taking a break from social media or saying “No” to tasks that are not priority or won’t make you feel good. Self-care is about understanding your needs, values and respecting yourself, in order to function better physically, mentally and emotionally.
Headspace & Meditation
Find a comfortable spot and lock out the world. Meditation can be difficult; your mind will distract you probably every five seconds. It requires patience. But the rewards are worth it. In time, it’ll foster greater peace, acceptance, and present moment awareness, leading to more creative, alert, organized, and calmer you.
Declutter Your Life
Decluttering your space can do wonders for mental and emotional health. Not only does your physical and mental energy gets consumed up when everyday life is chaotic, but clutter has also been known to make us feel like we can’t focus properly. So initiate a little self-care action and start clearing the backlog in your home.
Socialize & Connect with Others
One of the most powerful and essential ways to practice self-care is to connect with others. Surround yourself with people who understand, listen, uplift and empower you. Take the time to talk about how you’re feeling and ask others how they’re doing. Contributing to the life of another will brighten your days no matter how grey they seem.
Look After your Physical Health
Whether you really don’t have time on your hands to go to the gym, go for a run or make elaborate salads or you’re just not a fan of exercising, self-care involves looking after your body in whatever ways you can. Take the stairs, park further away from your destination. Even 20 minutes of walking can have a huge impact.
Journaling & Writing
It’s type of self-care that helps clear the mind of thoughts that may bog you down. Writing down some thoughts can help us make sense of them, process them and better understanding ourselves. Writing can also a great tool for problem-solving, planning and brainstorming.
- Connect with others
- Declutter your life
- Headspace & meditation
- Journaling & writing
- Look after your physical health
2. Reaping the Benefits of Intentional Mental Health Maintenance
Having a daily routine for maintaining one’s mental health is a vital step in achieving the lasting wellbeing every individual deserves. Here are just some of the benefits to be reaped from intentional mental health maintenance:
- Improved clarity and focus of thought
- Closer connection to your intuition and values
- Increased productivity and capacity in both professional and personal life
- An awareness of underlying subconscious emotions
Improved Clarity and Focus of Thought
When taking part in regular and purposeful mental health maintenance, individuals find themselves becoming increasingly clearheaded and thought processes streamlined. Mental clarity allows for a newfound level of insight and problem-solving, beyond what was initially understood. This clarity expands the mental capacity of an individual, enabling more efficient decisions and extended creative processes.
Closer Connection to Your Intuition and Values
It can be easy to become disconnected from our own inner compass and values. With the help of mental health maintenance, we can make room to reconnect with our intuition and delve deeper into what have previously been considered our ‘core truths’. That connection expands further, leading to a better understanding of our personal relationships and life choices, bringing all aspects of our life into focussed harmony.
Increased Productivity and Capacity
Once that connection has been solidified, individuals find that they are able to engage in their professional and personal lives with more ease – mental barriers have been removed and solutions become clearer. Accomplishing tasks becomes quicker and more efficient, allowing for an additional layer of physical energy and dynamic. Ultimately, mental health maintenance provides an increased capacity to enjoy life, gaining clearer understanding and deeper contentment in all aspects.
Awareness of Underlying Subconscious Emotions
Many of us are unaware of the subconscious emotions and feelings that quietly lurk beneath the surface. Mental health maintenance activities encourage the practice of mindfulness, in which individuals can identify and become aware of those underlying thoughts and feelings. Through this process, individuals are able to bring their unconscious desires to the forefront, allowing them to affirm and act upon these inner drivers and reach personal fulfilment.
3. Cultivating Good Habits to Maintain Mental Well-Being
As a result of the pandemic, people around the world are facing tremendous pressure. Fear of the unknown, loss of security and the need to adjust lifestyles are causing mental health concerns for a large part of the population. Even though you can’t control the situation, there are a few measures that you can take to maintain mental wellbeing.
One of the most important habits to cultivate is exercise. It helps to reduce stress and improves your mental outlook. Just by dedicating 30 minutes of your day for some activity like jogging or yoga can be extremely therapeutic. Moreover, it will keep your body healthy and fit.
It is also important to practice mindfulness. This involves acknowledging your feelings and experiences with an accepting attitude. Give yourself breaks throughout the day and focus on breathing and being present. This could be as simple as drinking your coffee slowly and appreciating its flavor or feeling the warmth of the sun on your skin.
Eating elements that are beneficial for mental health is another great practice. Consuming foods rich in nutrients like Omega 3 fatty acids, Magnesium and Vitamin B6 can help improve concentration and reduce stress.
Sign up for online classes. It could be a productive hobby or just a way of having fun. Learning something new is always a great source of satisfaction and keeps your mind occupied. You can also choose to join activities that you find interesting like cooking or painting.
Create daily routines. To alleviate stress, it’s important to have a schedule. Structure your day in a way that leaves time for leisure as well as for work. Having a routine helps prevent boredom and mental fatigue.
- Practice Exercise
- Practice Mindfulness
- Eat Nutritious Foods
- Sign up for Online Classes
- Create Daily Routines
4. Discovering Self-Care Strategies Right for You
Practicing self-care can be a challenge in today’s modern world with so many obligations to fill. In order to find the best strategies right for you, it’s important to start with understanding your individual needs and values. Here are some tips to help you get started:
- Identify Your Needs – Before you can come up with a self-care plan, it’s important to know what you need to be fulfilled and healthy. Spend some time reflecting of what works for you and the activities that make you feel like your best self. Take time to think about things like what brings you joy or a sense of well-being, how much rest you need and what time of day you feel your most productive.
- Prioritize Your Health – Practicing self-care can be a difficult task if you don’t make it a priority. Taking care of your mental, physical and emotional state needs to be a priority above all else. Making mindful decisions and doing what you need to in order to stay healthy will make it easier to engage in self-care practices.
- Set Boundaries – It’s important to remember that your time and energy are limited. Be clear about your needs and make sure that you’re setting boundaries with others in order to make sure that your needs are being met. This also means that it’s ok to say “no” to doing things that won’t benefit you in any way.
Once you have taken the time to understand yourself, you can move onto the next step – finding self-care strategies that work best for you. To find these strategies, start by making a list of activities or practices that are meaningful to you. Here are some ideas you can consider:
- Healthy Eating Habits – Eating a balanced diet is essential for both physical and mental health. Make sure that you’re getting all the nutrients you need from your meals and snacks. You can also consider adopting healthier eating habits to boost your energy and mood.
- Physical Exercise – Taking care of your physical health is a critical part of practicing self-care. If you have a gym membership, try to find time to go and work out at least three times a week. If you don’t have access to a gym, see if there’s any outdoor activity that you can do – biking, walking, running, rollerbladding, or even yoga.
- Social Activities – Interacting with other people and engaging in interesting activities is key for feeling connected and nurtured. From having a regular coffee date with friends to joining a book club or a volunteering project, engaging in meaningful activities with others will help you create strong bonds and feel more energized.
- Relaxation Techniques – It’s important to take some time out of your day for yourself, to relax and destress. Make sure you take regular breaks to do something that makes you feel relaxed, such as reading a book, taking a relaxing bath or taking a nap. You can also try some relaxation techniques such as yoga, tai-chi or meditation.
- Creative Outlets – Finding creative outlets to express yourself can be a great way to manage stress and cope with difficult situations. Find a way to express your feelings and emotions through writing, art, music or any other creative activity. Even spending some time gardening can be a great way to relax and destress.
Finding the best self-care strategies for your individual needs takes time and effort, but it’s worth it in the end. By taking the time to understand yourself and your needs, you can come up with a self-care plan that works for you and helps you maintain a healthy mind, body, and soul.
Remember, self-care should always come first! Taking the time to check in with yourself and ensure your mental health isn’t neglected is essential for a balanced and healthy lifestyle. Showing yourself the same love and care you show to others is incredibly powerful and will leave you feeling replenished and empowered. So, don’t be shy – go out there and make self-care a priority today!
