During the first week of May, Mental Health week is recognized by the Canadian Mental Health Association. A lot of the time, mental health is spoken about in relation to losing it through the trials and tribulations of life. This year the objective is to use this recognition week to promote the protection of your mental health. Here are 5 tips on how to protect your mental health, and ideas for self-care
Talk to someone
As simple as it may sound, consistently talking to people in your life can aid in protecting your mental health and develop mental health awareness. You don’t need to wait to be in a bad place before you open up to someone with all of the problems that you’re having, you can talk to people when you’re in a good place too. Keeping them updated on things in your life and what you’re facing can feel good and it will help you avoid bottling things up until the pressure breaks you.
Stay active
Staying physically active is a great way to release endorphins in your body. Spending some time each day doing a physical activity that you like will clear your mind and allows you to keep your body healthy. This doesn’t mean that you have to do 2+ hours of strenuous exercise either… make it something that you like to do! Whether it is walking the dog, doing yoga, or lifting weights, any sort of physical activity is beneficial for mental health support.
Create a routine
Creating a simple daily routine protects your mental health by holding you accountable for things you need to get accomplished. This routine can be simple and involve things like making the bed, eat 3 nourishing meals, brush your teeth, text your mom, etc. Build a routine that works for you!
Limit Social Media Usage
We are all guilty of it, waking up and immediately reaching for our phones to scroll on Instagram before our eyes can fully open. Not to mention the fact that going on your social media platforms is an all–day, everyday thing. Too much social media can be dangerous and can cause you to obsess over a false reality. Limit your social media usage by carving out a certain amount of time each day for it, or setting a timer when you want to look at these platforms.
Focus on your “me” time by Developing a Self-Care Plan
Self-care is important if you want to protect your mental health. Our lives can get busy, and we can spend more time focusing on making sure others are okay before looking in the mirror. Setting some time to take care of yourself allows you to take a breath for a minute and think about your own needs instead of others. Good things to do while developing your self-care routine can include taking a bath, going for a drive to listen to your favourite music, doing your nails, etc.
Protect your Mental Health
During mental health week, as well as every other week, take the steps to protect your mental health with these 5 tips. It is important to make sure that you are taken care of physically, mentally, and emotionally all of the time, even when you’re happy as can be. Spend some time to make sure that your personal needs are met, because you deserve it!
