Tips and Tricks: Mental Health Edition
Mental Health has become one of the most prominently discussed areas of concern and a priority for many. Although we read countless articles, journals, and op-eds on identifying specific mental health diagnoses and different ways to seek help, we rarely discuss other habits we can adapt into our everyday routine to make more significant efforts to cater to our mental well-being.
Being an undergraduate comes with many courses, assignments, extracurriculars, and social outings, but it rarely provides time to cater to a student’s peace of mind. Here are three tips and tricks to include in your daily routine to make your mental health a top priority:
Create an accomplishments list
Create a list of things that you accomplished each day to prioritize celebrating your wins, no matter how big or small. Your list can comprise anything from taking time out of your morning to eat breakfast to completing an assignment early. After writing out your list, take some time to express gratitude for all that you have accomplished and to express excitement for what the next day holds. If you do not have time to write or type out this list, it is also helpful to create a voice note to reflect on your accomplishments. Even if you do not go back to listen to the voice note, it allows you to speak positivity over your life through your achievements.
Take Care of your body
Taking care of your body can consist of eating a nutritious meal, physical activities, and getting enough sleep. Physical activity can help individuals cope better with stress, which makes it beneficial in treating depression and anxiety symptoms. More specifically, spending time outdoors can help reduce fatigue, which will help some individuals manage feelings such as burnout or depression. Also, eating nutritious meals have a significant effect on our mood. Incorporating certain foods into your food pallets can promote the release of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine.
Privatizing getting enough sleep has a significant impact on how you feel mentally. Getting an adequate amount of rest can maximize your chances of having better days because it will help regulate your mood, improve your brain function, and increase your energy daily. If possible, make sure you go to bed around the same time each day to create a healthy sleep schedule.
Personal Time Hours
As we all know, being in undergrad can lead to constantly being surrounded by people and leave you with very little personal time. That is why it is crucial to set aside time to allow yourself to have time to reset and be comfortable in your surroundings. Personal time can consist of taking an hour or more away from social media, meditating, journaling, disconnecting from electronic devices, or simply basking in the solitude of your own space.
For more tips on how you can support yourself and those around you with self-care practices, check out these resources:
If you try any of our tips please feel free to email us at beethedifferenceinc@gmail.com, and let us know how it went!