Staying stress-free can be a challenge when our lives are seen to run at a speed of a million miles an hour. From the job to the kids to the house, feeling on top of everything may be quite unfamiliar these days, but by making a few lifestyle changes you can regain control and find balance in your hectic schedule.
Having a clear head is vital to get you through the busy days and keep your momentum going so consider these simple tips and start putting your mental health first.
Create a calm space
The environment in which you surround yourself is essential in managing your mood and allowing you to feel calm and relaxed. No one wants to come home to a messy house, trip over the shoes on the doormat, and have to clean all the pots in the kitchen before making dinner.
By simply having a good clear out and rearranging your space you can turn it into a haven of tranquillity and zen. Or if you’re in need of a completely new start somewhere wrapped in the countryside and instilled with a sense of calm, why not pack up and move? Never underestimate the effect you’re home and the environment has on your state of mind so find a place that is ideal for your lifestyle.
With plenty of affordable homes under shared ownership and houses for sale nestled in the countryside, you can change the way you think of home and find your natural habitat.
Find time for exercise
You’ve heard it over and over again, but exercise really can have a huge impact on your mental health. By finding just 30 minutes a day when you get home from work or before you hop in the shower in the morning you can free your mind from all the knots and tensions that have been building up. Exercise releases serotonin that not only improves your mood but will also keep your energy levels up throughout the day.
And if you struggle to find the motivation to exercise why not use an app or fitness program to help you make it a part of your routine. Not only will you be improving your physical health, but you will be doing wonders for your mental and health and ridding yourself of those sluggish feelings that make you want to reach for the coffee at 11 am.
Know how best to rest
Rest is always important and should be done in a way that allows you to turn off for a few moments and collect your thoughts. Often when we do go to take a break, we can be scrolling our phones or watching TV which keeps our minds buzzing with exterior stimulants.
And while taking time to rest is vital for a healthy mind it is just as essential to rest properly. So, find time once or twice a day to sit down and truly relax.
Concentrate on the muscles in your body and allowing them to completely let go of any tensions while taking deep breaths and grounding yourself at the moment.
If you want to maximize your rest, you can do yoga or meditate somewhere quiet that you feel comfortable in order to release any anxieties or stress you may have, even without realizing it.
Eat your greens
What we put into our body is what we get out so consider your diet and what you could do to keep you on the right track throughout the day. Fast food like burgers and sweets can often make us feel heavy and tired after we’ve eaten them, while also not fully quenching our hunger and keeping us snacking throughout the day.
While snacking is fine if you’re munching on high protein whole foods, it’s easy to reach for a chocolate bar or packet of crisp in turn of healthy unsalted nuts or fruit.
By knowing you are fuelling your body with goodness you will also feel good and get more done throughout the day. Food and diet really are important so take care of your insides and they will take care of you.
Make a plan
Keeping a calendar, diary or planner can be extremely helpful in allowing you to see what you have left to do and what you have already done. While it is no secret being organized helps you keep everything in check and allows you to plan you’re week it is also about how you organize yourself.
Having a visual reminder to help you and remind you of upcoming tasks will ensure it stays at the forefront of your mind and won’t be forgotten a few hours later. There’s nothing worse than falling behind and feeling as though there is not enough time to do everything so stay organized and have something on hand to help you remember things throughout the day.
Calendars are also great to allow you to manage your time and your rest to create the right balance while getting everything done on your to-do list.
Talk about it
Sometimes the best therapy can be having a chat with your best friend and letting go of all the things that have been on your mind all week, so meet up with your nearest and dearest for that quick cuppa and have a good chat.
Communication is always the best way to handle anything so let people know how you are feeling if you are struggling and what’s been bothering you because bottling things up can have dire effects on your mental health.
While you may think if you put something to the back of your mind it is no longer there, this is very often not the case, with your anxieties manifesting themselves in other ways such as emotional outbursts, forgetting things, or feeling exhausted and drained.
Never feel as though you can’t tell someone because even if it is your work colleague or distant relative, chances are they will know how it feels and has heard it before. It is part of our nature to suffer strains on our mental health so start the conversation and get people talking because a problem shared really is a problem halved.
Keeping a healthy mind is just as important as keeping a healthy body and it greatly affects our productiveness and mood throughout the day. No matter how busy you are always take time out for yourself to look after your state of mind and your mood. Because what are we working so hard for if it is not to be happy and healthy in the end.
-
Sanya
- November 20, 2018
