· By Emily Mueller
Mental Health Makeover
There are a lot of people out there who struggle with sudden change, myself included. With jobs being put on hold, schools closing and businesses temporarily shut down, a lot of people's routines are being turned upside down. It can be easy to get overwhelmed with all of the change, especially because we don’t exactly know when it’s going to end. Despite the unknowns, it’s important to make sure your mental health is a priority during the coming weeks. So take a moment for yourself and read these 5 tips to give yourself a mental health makeover while we’re all at home. You’ll get back into your regular schedule feeling better than ever!
Morning Yoga
Yoga has been linked to several mental health benefits, and it’s a lot easier than people think. By starting each morning with 30 minutes of some beginners poses can help you continue the rest of your day feeling relaxed and optimistic. So grab a yoga mat, get your playlist started and Sun Salutation yourself into relaxation!
Write a Daily Goals List
Write a Daily Goal List
If anyone reading this is like me, I can struggle greatly with focusing on one thing at a time. It can be easy to get caught up in wanting to complete so many tasks at once that by the end of the day, I’m lucky to have finished half of them. By writing out a goal list each day of the things I want to accomplish, not only am I more likely to get more done by the end of my day, but it feels good being able to physically cross something off the list. In fact, the benefits of writing your goals are proven here. It may seem silly to some people to write your goals out each day, especially if you’re the only one seeing the list. But I promise, you’ll see a difference in your productivity and that alone makes a huge impact on mental health.
Get Rid of Clutter
Okay, I know right off the bat this doesn’t seem like it has anything to do with mental health. But, the space you surround yourself in plays a huge part in your overall mindset. If you let yourself live in clutter, your mind will also remain cluttered. Take a day to go through every drawer, vacuum, even purge your closet. You would be surprised at how many things you have that are taking up space that don’t need to be. And once decluttering is done, your mind will feel more at ease knowing that you’re in a clean and comfortable space.
Take Control of Your Sleep Schedule
I promise I’m not asking for the impossible here. But for those of us who have a hard time falling asleep, staying asleep, or if your overall quality of sleep is crappy, then you may want to re-evaluate some of your sleeping habits. Take the next few weeks and adjust your nightly habits. Start going to bed at a certain time each night, even if it’s just to lay down. Create an evening routine for yourself so you eventually look forward to going to sleep, this will make your mind and body relax. And however difficult, try laying off the phone for at least 30 minutes before you go to sleep so you can give your mind a proper amount of time to relax. Trust me, you deserve it and you’ll thank me later.
Find a Creative Outlet
Having a way to express yourself and the emotions you’re feeling is a great way to keep your mental health in check. If you’ve been feeling uninspired lately, take this time to find a new hobby or passion. It can be music, art, or maybe you can start collecting something. There are an infinite number of ways to express yourself, and by finding a way to do this, you’ll end up learning a thing or two about yourself in the process.