16 ideas to protect your mental health
Discover ideas to sprinkle through your week to ensure that you’re prioritizing your own mental health, and that of your team.
Doing small things daily for your wellbeing can help protect your mental health. Research shows looking after your wellbeing enables you to move further away from languishing and closer to flourishing.
Below are 16 ideas to inspire you. We also encourage you to make a list of things that help you thrive.
Please note: these are not designed for anyone experiencing distress. If you are in distress, please reach out to a mental health professional, or call the 988 for the Suicide Prevention Hotline.
1. Do something just for fun
From revisiting an old hobby to getting creative in a way that works for you (painting, dancing, etc.), remember to take time to do something just for fun.
2. Celebrate YOU
Did you know that you’re special? Well, you are! And you’re allowed to celebrate that fact too. Reflect on all the good parts of who you are by feeling thankful, being proud of your achievements, and setting personal goals. This is wonderful for your wellbeing.
3. Let go of perfectionism
A lot of us put an incredible amount of pressure on ourselves to get everything right. We have expectations of performance that we would never put on anyone else. If we don't match up, then the negative feelings creep in. There's a difference between wanting to do well and perfectionism, and it's important to distinguish between the two so you don't spend too much time dwelling on things that don't require 110%.
4. Practice deep breathing
Breathing can be powerful, especially regarding anxiety and mental health. And it offers a quick, simple way to control how you're feeling. Even just one minute a day of deep breathing can be beneficial to your mental wellbeing, and once you've got the hang of it, you can build up from there.
5. Seek out good news
It's no surprise that being bombarded by bad news daily takes its toll. So to counter that, find ways to consume more good news every day.
6. Practice gratitude
Our brains are good at focusing on problems – probably because they are hard-wired to try and solve them for us! But all of that ruminating on negative stuff can get a bit tiring. Try switching it up to focus on what you appreciate about life.
7. Spend time in nature
Nature is glorious. And by spending time in it, you can reap all sorts of incredible benefits, like lowered stress levels, improving your creativity, building relationships with others, and even feeling more optimistic about the future.
8. Brighten someone’s day
One way to get the buzz of feel-good hormones oxytocin and serotonin is doing something kind for someone else, be it for a stranger or loved one.
9. Do one thing (DOT)
When everything seems impossible, narrow it down to just doing one thing (DOT) to help move you forward. It's about achievement in small, bite-sized pieces in a way that will improve your mental wellbeing in the here and now.
10. Do something from the Do Pillar
There are many weird and beautiful ways to add a ‘Do’ into your daily life. From taking a course to working on a puzzle and listening to podcasts about things that interest you, giving your brain a bit of a workout is great for your mental health.
11. Do something from the Enjoy Pillar
What's life without enjoyment from time to time? It's crucial to prioritize fun regularly – it boosts your mood and helps you cope better with stresses and strains.
12. Do something from the Move Pillar
Moving your body in a way that feels good to you is another way to protect your mental health. Blast some music in your headphones and get walking to the beat, or find a friend who wants to stretch while having a chat.
13. Do something from the Connect Pillar
As humans, we’re wired for social connection and interaction. Without it, well, life can be a bit sucky. There are many wonderful ways to connect, so just do what works for you. Aim for quality over quantity, and never underestimate the power that comes from connection through giving back.
14. Do something from the Chill Pillar
In the busyness of our modern lives, finding time to chill each day is essential for our wellbeing. It could be about finding small rituals that help you switch off for five minutes (like standing outside and deep breathing) or watching an episode of a favorite TV show.
15. Try box breathing
We mentioned deep breathing above, but box breathing is another technique you could try to help reduce stress and calm the fight or flight mode.
16. Practice self-kindness
Switching your internal narrative to one of genuine kindness is not easy. Still, it's possible with a bit of practice – and it feels oh-so-good! It is about putting all self-talk through the 'friend test.' If you wouldn't speak a certain way to a friend or family member, then try not to speak that way to yourself.