When you hurt yourself, you immediately grab your first aid kit, and if the injury is severe, you rush to the nearest hospital. Unfortunately, when it comes to mental health, we ignore the twinging sensation and tell ourselves ‘It’s not a big deal’ and let our mental health erode.
Eventually, there comes a point when we break and the consequences are just as devastating as a horrendous physical injury.
We are in 2020 and more aware of the importance of mental well-being than ever before. However, in a survey by Aetna, despite 95% of people being cognizant of its importance, only 26% of them actually prioritized their emotional well-being.
But no more, it’s high time that you give yourself a break and not let your mental well-being suffer.
Here are a few ways to go about it:
1. Take Time Out For Yourself
Whether you are a single parent, dedicating all your energies to your children, or anyone who is being weighed down with responsibilities, if you end up extremely tired, it will impact your physical health. Consequently, you would not be able to care for your loved ones or give your career the level of energy it requires.
Research has emphasized ad nauseam on the significance of proper sleep and nutrition in order to uphold salubrious living. So, make sure you’re getting the necessary sleep and those green vegetables.
Moreover, having a spa day, strolling in the sunny weather, meditating a few minutes, doing yoga, starting your day with a smoothie, or any activity that provides respite, you should go for it. These may look like small things, but they do have a positive impact on your life.
So fit that ‘me time’ in your regular schedule and stick to it.
2. Humorify Your Life
While healthy living and basic self-care is just one necessary facet of your life, humor and entertainment teach you that responsibilities and stress are not all there is to life. Even research says that humor aids you in dealing with negative life experiences.
So, shove all those negative thoughts aside and grab a playful and silly perspective of a situation. Follow those social media pages that thrive on humor, hang out with friends and make a silly plan, and read humorous books. Take full advantage of your time warner spectrum by streaming your favorite shows in 4K. Make things more interesting and entertaining by watching those shows with your loved ones.
It will lessen your burden and you will be less cynical about everything.
3. Say NO
Always doing what others ask of you is strain-inducing. Learn to say no! Sure, it is not always easy to do so if you fear disappointing others, don’t understand the extent of a commitment, fear damaging your relationship, fear being perceived as a selfish person, want to prove your worth to others, or you prioritize others’ comfort over yours.
Start with small and insignificant situations, and then keep working on being more assertive under extreme circumstances. Moreover, if you are not sure about something, answer ‘I’ll think over it.’ There is no need for you to offer elaborate excuses over your refusal. It is your right to refuse when you are not comfortable doing something. Remember, you cannot make everyone happy. And if you believe you’re making everyone happy, look again: you’re not happy.
A Note to Remember
These daily responsibilities and tasks will keep on coming. The world will keep on moving even without you. So, prioritize your well-being without feeling guilty. Understand that prioritizing yourself will not make you a selfish, narcissistic and self-indulgent person.