The internet is rife with advice on how to manage stress and improve mental health that I’ve spent ample time scouring through. From expert-backed neuroscience to less conventional strategies with witchcraft, there really is something for everyone.
When I was going through my lowest period of mental health, I would desperately scroll sites promising the answer to anxiety and despair at how they ‘didn’t work’. However, I’d adopted the mindset that successful execution of the steps would miraculously erase everything negative from my life, which isn’t the point. Not only this, but generic advice online isn’t going to work for everyone.
Very gradually, I’ve started to understand myself and my brain, which has led me to learn what makes my mental health better and worse. From this, I’ve discovered the habits that personally help me to cultivate happiness in my daily life. This post is going share these habits with you, along with the reasons I think they’re useful.
Please note that, as I said, not everything will work for everyone. These are just what I personally do.
- Making tomorrow’s decisions today
Even if it doesn’t feel like it, every decision we make demands a little bit of energy from us. This means that the more decisions we make, the more mentally exhausted we become. It’s the reason why we start the day full of motivation and willpower, which wanes as the day goes on, and why we might ‘fall back into old habits’ at night.
In an effort to combat this, I make some of the following day’s decisions the night before. This includes choosing my outfit, planning my day, and meal prepping. It helps me start my day stress-free, and I save plenty of time by not having to decide what to wear! As a result, my brain has enough clarity to make valuable decisions during the day.
2. Getting things ready for my next task
Similarly to the previous point, this one relates to motivation and willpower. It’s widely agreed that getting yourself to start a task is harder than actually doing the task. It’s when procrastination creeps in and you start bargaining with yourself that you’ll start in 10 minutes, no — 20, no — an hour, no — tomorrow…
To make things easier, I set everything up for the task before I’m planning to do it. For example, if I have a blog post to write and I’ve set out to do it when I get home, I’ll open my laptop on the right page with everything I need before I leave the house. It removes the mental friction since all I have to do is sit down and get writing.
3. Yoga and meditation
I feel like these get regarded as woo-woo, but hear me out! Though linked to Buddhism and other spiritual practices, yoga and meditation are scientifically proven stress relievers. Both of them heavily rely on mindfulness and awareness of breath, which increase your brain’s happy hormones and make anxious rumination impossible. As well, yoga improves joint mobility and posture, so it’s a win-win for your brain and body.
I do both yoga and meditation every night as part of my wind-down routine. I find them most useful at night since they build the foundation for a good night’s sleep, but you can do them anytime. You might find they work better for you in the morning or afternoon, so definitely have a play around. If you’re new to them and don’t know where to start, I’d recommend yoga tutorials and guided meditations on Youtube. They don’t have to be long – you can simply start with 10 minutes of each, but you can always increase them as you grow more comfortable.
4. Physical activity
A few years ago, I used to hate any physical activity and believed people claiming the mental benefits of sport were lying. I’ve seen the light since then and realised I’d just not tried the right type for me. I first started to see the pleasure in walking and yoga, but I then added pilates, and I’ve even started going to the gym! As a petite girl under 5 foot, I never imagined this for myself, but I’ve genuinely grown to enjoy the routine and seeing myself get stronger.
I know a lot of people don’t enjoy the gym, so don’t think physical activity is limited to this. There’s so many other types of movement if the gym doesn’t tickle your fancy like tai chi, zumba and swimming. You could even do group classes with a friend if you have a hard time picking up new habits. I promise that when you find something you like, you’ll gain more confidence and peace of mind.
5. Writing achievements in my journal
It’s really easy to be critical on yourself and constantly expect yourself to do more. While our fast-paced society plays its part, I think that another large contributor is the way we collectively forget to celebrate small achievements. Chances are that you’ve achieved things in the past few years that you once dreamt of, so is that not an occasion worth celebrating?
As a reminder to regularly celebrate myself, I write 3 ‘little wins’ at the end of all my journal entries. It forces me to reminisce on what I’ve done and highlight all the tiny things I should be proud of every day. At the end of each month, I also read back the past month’s entries to write another about my biggest achievements. This habit increases my self-esteem and helps me to view my life through a positive lens.
Although small habits like this won’t single-handedly ‘rescue’ your mental health if you’re struggling, I’ve found that they give a little push. I also believe that having any sort of routine, even if it’s the bare necessities like brushing your teeth and having a shower, are useful to include because they can be easily forgotten during difficult periods. So if you’re currently struggling and doing any from this list feels impossible, don’t beat yourself up for it.
I hope these habits of mine give you a bit of food for thought, even if you don’t try them yourself. It takes plenty of trial and error to find what works best for you, so I suggest you try a week or so of a new habit and see if you find value. Hopefully, with time, you find ways to decrease stress in your own life.
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