Amazing Tips to Boost Your Mental Health

These days, people are extremely concerned about their physical well-being and appearance. They hit gym to remain in shape and worry if they gain extra weight. There is an intense desire for a perfect body, but what about mental health? Why do we forget that there is a strong association between mental and physical well-being? In today’s society, ups and downs of life and sources of stress are omnipresent. Our capability to cope with stressful situation depends on our mental health ; whether we respond constructively to a challenging situation or get worried and lose our peace of mind . Therefore to maximize our well-being it is essential to treat our mental health with at least the same importance that we accord to our physical health.

Here are few tips to boost your mental health:

PRIORITISE– You cannot do everything at a time, no matter how good you are at multi-tasking. You need to prioritise the work that matters the most. Does this sound challenging? Don’t worry… just follow these simple steps:

Make a list of all your task, don’t worry about the orders and number of task.
Now look at the list, select an order or sequence for tasks to be done. You can decide sequence on priority basis- like what must be done today or which task needs your immediate attention? What can wait and until when? You can delegate less important work to someone. In this way you can complete tasks that matters most to you.
Try to do one task at a time. Don’t jump from one task to another without completing the previous one.
Be gentle with yourself. Take a brief break to relax after completing each task.
At the end of the day, examine what you have achieved and reward yourself

THE HABIT OF PRIORITISING YOUR TASKS WILL REDUCE YOUR STRESS AND MAKE YOUR LIFE EASY

NO COMPARISONS PLEASE- Don’t waste your precious time on comparing yourself with others. Comparison will leave you insecure, envious, discontent and restless. Every individual is unique, therefore appreciate and love your uniqueness. Remember, your uniqueness is your power. Focus on your strength and try to be a better version of yourself.

SPEND TIME IN NATURE- Nature has always been a provider, most of the things we possess are provided by nature. The fact is that we receive far more from the nature than we actually seek. Apart from fulfilling our basic needs, nature has exceptional abilities to nourish and heal our mind and body too. There are numerous benefits of spending time in nature. Being in natural environment activates our five senses and energizes our body. Exposure to natural environment also reduces stress level, anger and anxiety. Spending some amount of time in nature is favourable for our physical well-being also as it reduces the risk of high blood pressure, type II diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Studies reveal that spending time in nature can make you happier and healthier. So just drop your mobiles, get yourself off the couch and expose yourself to refreshing breeze and warm sunshine. Feel the tickle of grass, observe the movement and chirping of birds, enjoy the beauty and fragrance of flowers and feel the fresh air on your face. Indulge in outdoor games with your children, in this way you can spend amazing time with them and they also get an opportunity to explore the natural environment which is extremely beneficial for their physical and mental development.

BE A CURIOUS LEARNER- Learning is a lifelong process, we learn everyday knowingly or unknowingly. Learning new skills with curiosity and enthusiasm has many significant impacts on our mental health. Learning involves thinking, experiencing, focusing and analyzing, hence it has a major role in improving cognitive performance. It improves concentration and alertness. It also improves memory and helps to ward off dementia. Learning new things also makes you a faster learner and hence it can work wonders on your confidence and self-esteem. Process of learning gives you new experiences and information that would help you to achieve a better state of mind. Sharing your learning can be beneficial too. When you share your learning with someone, you repeat and recall the learning hence it helps your retention and recall ability. Keep learning and keep sharing.

LAUGH OFTEN- It is well said, “Laughter is the best medicine.” A daily dose of laughter reduces stress, anxiety and sadness. Laughter boosts immunity and optimizes lung capacity. Don’t hesitate to share a genuine laugh with your family and friends, it will boost your relationship. If something goes wrong instead of complaining about it try to laugh it off. Your light hearted attitude will make your life stress free and easygoing.

LAUGHTER IS INFECTIOUS AND INDICATES POSITIVITY. WHEN YOU BRING LAUGHTER INTO YOUR LIFE, YOU SPREAD JOY AND HAPPINESS

DISCOVER CREATIVITY- Creativity is a beautiful way of self-expression, it eliminates boredom from one’s life. It keeps our mind active and sharp. It helps us to imagine, explore new ideas and also enhances problem solving skills. Clueless about what to do? Start with something you love to do. It may be painting, gardening, writing, trying new recipes, decorating your room, flower arrangements and the list is endless! Initially start with small and simple ideas. Gain knowledge about what you want to pursue by reading books, articles, watch videos or join classes. Just remember, don’t expect perfection, just enjoy the whole process and let your ideas flow.

PUT ON YOUR CREATIVITY HAT AND TURN YOUR IMAGINARY IDEAS INTO REALITY

EMBRACE YOUR MISTAKES- Don’t feel ashamed about your past mistakes. It is very well said mistakes and failures teach us more than successes. We make mistake when we attempt something new or when we step out of comfort zone. To prevent mistakes we sometimes stop growing and stop taking risk. It is always better to try than not to attempt anything. So failures are great lessons.

Solve Puzzles– Solving puzzles helps to improve our cognitive abilities and problem solving skills. Solving a puzzle allows us to focus on only one thing so it can instantly reduce stress and worries. Solving crossword, Sudoku and playing board games are good pastime and also keep you away from your gadgets. Puzzle like jigsaw needs the involvement of a different parts of the brain hence it can help to ward off dementia. Puzzle solving is the best way to keep our mind healthy and active.

CONNECT WITH LOVED ONE- Are you spending most of your time on checking your facebook, Instagram, whatsapp, twitter and e-mail messages? If yes, then you are missing out on so many beautiful things in your life. Remember, excessive usage of phone not only kills your precious time but also gains control over your life. Spend your time in a constructive and meaningful way. Keep your phone aside and connect with the people you are with. It will make you more happy to engage in face to face conversation with your loved one. Help your child with his/her homework. Take time to engage with your children doing things that they like. Seeing your child smiling and giggling is priceless and will surely uplift your spirit. Spend time with your aging parents. Connect with them on daily basis and give them details about your going on. Ask for their advice whenever required, after all they have so much experience and wisdom to share. Connecting with your loved one is the greatest joy!! J

BREATHING EXERCISE– Benefits of deep breathing exercises are uncountable. I have listed just a few of them:

REMOVE TOXINS
PROMOTES BLOOD CIRCULATION
INCREASES ENERGY LEVEL
INCREASES LUNG CAPACITY
IMPROVES DIGESTION
IMPROVES POSTURE
WORKS AS A NATURAL PAINKILLER
Apart from these physical benefits it also improves mental well-being. Deep breathing exercise reduces stress and anxiety level. It also helps us to sleep better and achieve relaxed state of mind. Breathing exercises are simple to perform and can be performed anytime and anywhere

MAKE BREATHING EXERCISE PART OF YOUR REGULAR ROUTINE AND BEGIN TO EXPERIENCE POSITIVE CHANGES IN YOUR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH.

HEALTHY BREAKFAST- I remember how my mom would emphasized on having healthy breakfast and we were never allowed to skip breakfast. Moms are always right!! Many scientific studies support mom’s advice. Many studies have been conducted to study the relationship between breakfast consumption and mental health. The results revealed that individuals who consumed breakfast each day were less depressed, less emotionally distressed than those who did not eat breakfast each day. A healthy breakfast enhances memory and attention. Missing breakfast, leads to low blood sugar and this causes low mood, irritability and fatigue. Breakfast is the first important meal of the day and it is the meal that offers adequate amount of nutrition to our body after nine to ten hours of fasting. Eating healthy breakfast provides the best nutrients to begin the new day. So there are good reasons for us to believe in an old saying, “eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.”

MAKE YOUR BREAKFAST HEALTHY AND ENJOYABLE.

PETS- Studies have revealed that pets can enhance our mental health and are a great stress busters. In addition to that pets are a bundle of unconditional love and joy. They are full of positive energy and enthusiasm. Having a pet can help you to get out of bed and establish healthy routine. You can instantly pep up your mood by stroking and hugging your pet. Getting glimpse of some of the crazy acts of your pet will make you laugh. Pets are not only a great companion but also a wonderful teacher. They teach us to enjoy every moment of life and appreciate the simple things in life. For them life is very simple LIVE, LOVE AND ENJOY!!

SLEEP- A good night sleep is not just important for working effectively throughout the day but it is essential for mental well-being too. Our sleep pattern directly affects our mental health. Poor sleep is considered as a symptom as well as a cause of mental disorder. Sleep deprivation may contribute to the development of problems like depression, anxiety, memory issues, increased risk for heart diseases, cancer, poor immune system and weight related problems. A good night sleep prepares your mind and body for the next day. Sleep also improves attention, memory, decision making and problem solving skills. There are several benefits of sleep so after every hard day PAMPER YOURSELF WITH A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP!!

GRATITUDE JOURNALS- Everyday set aside time to record your blessings or things that you are grateful for. By reflecting on your daily blessings you will experience more positive moods and negative emotion will diminish. Gratitude journals will help you to attain contentment, inner joy and make you optimistic about your future.

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS, YOU ARE BLESSED WITH SO MANY BEAUTIFUL THINGS!!!

IMBIBE MINIMALISM- It is difficult to work in a messy and an unorganized place, it distracts your attention and hampers your productivity. Well…an easy solution to this is “minimalism”. The term “minimalism” is not as heavy as it seems. It’s about making your life simple and clutter free. Let’s see how you can imbibe minimalism in your life.

Get rid of stuffs that you no longer want or use them. You can donate the stuffs to the people who are in need of these things. In this way your stuffs would not get wasted and can be utilized by someone.
When we go for shopping we often pick up a few things which looks attractive and catch our attention even though we don’t need them. Therefore before heading for shopping make sure you prepare a list of items you really need. PURCHASE ONLY THOSE THINGS THAT YOU GENUINELY NEED.
Minimalism is also about how you want to spend time. Don’t engage yourself with lots of activities that are not important to you. Just choose what actually you want to do.
Simplify your wardrobe. Be satisfy with what you have. Don’t crave for things you don’t require.
Today we can’t deny that mobile phones and laptops keep an important place in our lives. They are loaded with several features that prove to be very helpful for us. Therefore keeping them organized is equally important. Keep deleting unnecessary messages, pictures and apps from time to time.
Minimalism is not only about de-cluttering but also about absolute clarity of what you really want!!

Dear friends I hope you all find these tips helpful in enhancing your mental Well-being. I know apart these tips there are many other ways to improve mental well-being. Kindly feel free to email me your tips to promote mental health. I would love to know your suggestions.