When the days are busy, there will be times when your fatigue takes over. You might feel tired, exhausted, even too depressed to relax at your free time. Feeling this way will clearly affect your productivity and endurance level. At this kind of time, it is paramount that you take care of your mental health. You will feel refreshed, rejuvenated from your ordeal and feel more ready to tackle the day.
Here are 9 practical ways to improve your mental health:
- First things first-exercise.
For thousands of years, the benefits of exercise have been widely touted by the people of the world. The main function of exercise is to improve the body from increasing basic organ functions to improving the state of the muscles. However oneโs physical improvement would also indirectly affect mental health.
Exercise helps the heart pump blood around the body, distributing oxygen and enhancing the feeling of wellbeing all around the body. Not only that, exercise would help the excretion of several feel-good hormones such as endorphins, dopamine and serotonin. It is no wonder that ย our body will be filled with happiness and euphoria after a workout session. Practice regular exercise to maintain health and fill your mind with happiness.
2. Listen to music that boosts your mood or do something that invigorates your mood.
When feeling sluggish, music is one that that can significantly change your mood for the better. However as music is according to taste, each music genre has a different effect to the body. classical music can refresh the mind one does not mean that it can refresh the minds of others. Otherwise, taking a short walk around the park is something that you could do to improve your mood. Strolling around in the park, surrounded by the beautiful view and breathing in fresh air can do wonders for your emotional state at the time.
This can be an effective method of boosting your mood at times when you feel blue. Clearing out your mind will definitely remove the element of stress, anxiety and make way of creativity and happiness in your life.
3. Be realistic on your goals.
Setting goals is something that would help you restructure and plan your life in the future. Fulfilling and maximizing your potential is a good thing, but it will turn negative when you are being unrealistic in your expectations and force yourself to reach the short amount of deadline.
When approaching your goals, it is also important not to be too appreciate yourself in the process. Try not to be too harsh and reprimand yourself too much, as that is what will create stress in your life. A bit of pressure can generate motivation in your life and give you the push to achieve your goals, but too much will create stress that leads to a nervous breakdown.
Ask yourself these questions: What is the priority goal that I want to achieve within these three months? What steps should I take in order to reach it? Can it actually be done? If that plan fails, what do I plan to do with my life next?
4. Have a much more positive frame of mind ย
Itโs very easy to see and think that the grass is greener on the other side. Or overthinking about things that do not matter. In truth, these thoughts would only crowd your mind and negatively affect your mental health. Those who are prone to these sorts of thoughts should be very careful of their frame of mind, as it can indirectly affect their body health.
A positive frame of mind comes from gratitude and thinking positively about anything that comes your way. Continuously remind and train yourself into feeling more gratitude in life by counting the blessings you have in your life. Increase effectiveness by writing down all the things you are grateful for in this life.
Do it regularly every day, and you might find yourself with a much more positive frame of mind. At the end of the day, youโll be surprised with the amount of blessings that you have on a daily basis and realize how lucky you are in life. Moreover, you will find that your blessings count out more that even to shortcomings.
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5. Try negative visualization
Negative thoughts are very damaging your mental health, your life and even your physical state of mind. Fear is a handicap, where it affects your decision-making. Prevent negative thoughts and fear from taking over your life by thinking of worst possible outcome.
According to stoic philosophy, thinking about the worst thing that could ever happen in your life will prepare and challenge your mind. Close your eyes and fill your mind with the worst things that could happen to you-the possibilities, what terrible thing that can happen in the near future and whatever type of fear that plagues you. Open your eyes, and you will realize that nothing has happened yet and you will be fine despite the thoughts that appear in your head.
6. A support network will help you immensely in reaching your mental health goals.
Change of personality or achieving goals may only involve your abilities and strength in mind. But the people around you-friends, family, relatives-will support your goals and help you achieve it faster.
Asking the help from loved ones or friends can set you on the right path whenever you stray and would instill motivation when you are feeling down. Shutting people out or shying away from people might even make you lonely and more depressed. Having a positive environment would therefore be extremely beneficial to your goals. Reach out when feeling negative-plan a fun day out with them and share the thoughts that have been plaguing your mind.
7. Find your purpose for living
BJ Miller, a TED speaker once told his incredible story when he was lying in a hospital. At one time, a nurse from the burn unit wanted to cheer him up by bringing snowball from outside the hospital. The sensation of melting snow at the palm of his left hand filled him with awe at the world. It made him feel gratitude that he was alive even after losing three of his limbs.
You may not realize it, but the simple things in life is what makes life worth living. Appreciate life by being more aware of you surroundings and taking everything into your mind.
8. Meditation: Just one minute is enough to create a profound effect in your mind
With a busy life and everything competing for your attention, maintaining a meditation habit can be tricky. Start small by meditating for just 60 seconds a day, then increasing the duration as you gradually advance. Even doing it for one minute can impact your mental health in a big way, affecting the state of your mind and body. Modern technology has also made this much easier, in which there are many apps available to help with your meditation.
9. Laughter and happiness is the key to a healthy, optimistic mind
Banish negative thoughts from your mind by removing the heavy weight in your mind. One of the most effective way to free your mind of unnecessary stress is by making yourself happy.
Find things that would make you happy. This can be deliberately done by finding something that will incite laughter. It can be reading funny books, reading stories or watching comedy shows. Laughter is something that has been known to reduce oneโs stress and anxiety. Smiling in deliberation also reduces heart rate and will make you feel calmer when stressed with a stressful situation.
Overall health cannot be achieved without taking care of the mind as well as one’s physical state. When you are feeling blue or depressed, that means that your mind is suffering and in need of care. Return the state of your health by following the tips mentioned above. A healthy state of mind is based on fulfilled needs and continuous care.ย Which is why it’s important to spare some time off your busy schedule in order to care for your body and mind. Doing that ensures that you will feel balanced enough to do the chores productively without feeling imbalanced or stressed.
Have you tried any of the tips above? Do you have any other tips you use to care for your mind? Share us your experience in the comment section down below!
