You have the best intentions when it comes to your mental health and well-being. You start motivated and ready to put in the time and work. But then life happens. Your schedule fills up and, slowly but surely, your goals feel further away than when you started.
Sound familiar? It happens. However, you don’t have to accept that your mental well-being isn’t a top priority. Instead, incorporate these habits to get started on the right track and never look back.
Make an Investment
Investing is a relatively simple concept: Put something in to get something bigger and better in return. Stocks, 401(k) plans, and working out all follow this pattern and can yield great results. Your mental health is the same. You get out what you put into it. So, naturally, finding ways to invest consistently will have the greatest return on investment.
What does that mean practically, though? It’s entirely up to you! Investing in your mental health may mean meditating first thing in the morning instead of scrolling on your phone. It could be getting outdoors for a walk and some natural vitamin D. Or it might be a financial investment in resources like therapy or mental health rehab to fuel your journey.
Whichever investment you make is up to you and your goals. The most important part is that you start with something. Even a little change now will pay dividends down the line. Before you know it, prioritizing your mental health will be second nature.
Catch Enough Z’s
Getting enough sleep is a priority for many people, but it’s notoriously hard to achieve. Between work, school, and personal life responsibilities, there just aren’t enough hours in the day. However, failing to get substantial shut-eye can influence your mental health journey, too.
That’s because sleep deprivation increases the risk of mental health disorders like anxiety and depression. So, use that information to inspire tangible changes to your routine. Put your computer away and leave to-do’s for tomorrow in favor of rest. Say “no” to the social outing you don’t want to attend to give yourself time to sleep. Make it, like your mental health, non-negotiable.
Of course, this won’t happen overnight. You’ll have to get in the habit of getting ready for bed earlier. Even if you don’t fall asleep immediately, hopping in bed with plenty of time to wind down can be beneficial. Taking sleep gummies could help you relax and get better quality sleep. Then, gradually work toward upping your hours of rest. Your brain will thank you.
Get Creative
Prioritizing mental health is less about finding the “right” approach and more about discovering what works for you. While therapy and meditation have their benefits, that alone may not be the best option for everyone. That’s why getting creative with mental health-friendly activities is such a great option.
Ultimately, your aim is to find things that boost your mood and lessen mental health symptoms. That might be a creative outlet like painting or drawing. It could be socializing with friends or sinking your toes in the sand at the beach. Perhaps it’s more physical like running or lifting weights.
You’re hunting for activities you can use to recenter yourself and soothe your mind. Of course, your newfound mental health endeavor won’t be a cure-all. However, it can be a momentary escape to help as you navigate through tough times.
Reduce Stress-Inducing Activities
In the same way getting creative is helpful, so is cutting back on stress-inducing activities. This too will depend on the person, but your goal is to identify situations that put you at odds with your mental health. They’re likely stressful, overwhelming, or feel pointless. And they’re not what you need when making mental health your top focus.
The funny thing? Two people may have completely different experiences with what they consider a stressful situation. A large social gathering could be incredibly overwhelming to one person and a piece of cake to another, for example. So, it’s important to analyze from your perspective based on how you feel. From there, you can decide what to remove from your life.
Of course, you can’t cut out all stressful scenarios. Presenting at work or going to birthday parties will likely always have a place in your life. But knowing what can be triggering — especially when your mental health isn’t great — is empowering. At the very least, you can be more prepared to manage your feelings during and after the event.
Understand the Science
It’s an understatement to say that brains are complicated. They are the computers that manage hormones, movement, hunger cues, emotions, and more. They’re the home to personality traits and lifelong memories. As integral as brains are to quite literally everything you do, many people don’t know much about them. If you’re aiming to make mental health a non-negotiable, though, learning about brain science is a no-brainer (pun intended).
Take time to learn the parts of the brain and what they control. Tune into podcasts about depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder to grasp how they differ and how they’re alike. Read up on how stress impacts your brain’s daily functions. Plain and simple: Learn everything you can about mental health by studying the science impacting it.
While being knowledgeable about mental health won’t cure any issues, you can put yourself in the driver’s seat. Your reaction to different stimuli and approach to daily habits can change for the better. And you can further incorporate mental health-friendly practices to enshrine its prominence in your life.
Mental Health Managed
Prioritizing your mental health is habitual. Once you get into the routine, it’s much easier to keep up. So, if you’re hoping to build mental fortitude, start today. Soon enough, your days of struggling to balance your mental health with life’s demands will be a distant memory.
