
How To Improve Your Mental Health & Boost Your Wellbeing
It’s important to take care of your mind as well as your body during this uncertain time. Here are 6 ways to stay healthy at home and look after your mental health.
- Stay connected
Remember that you’re not alone. Stay in touch with friends and family while you’re at home, by phone, messaging or video calls – or why not connect with old friends and neighbours? From quiz nights to virtual book clubs, there’s plenty of ways to make keeping in touch fun and varied.
- Ask for support
Talk to your employer. If you are worried about work or money, if you must stay home, these issues can have a big effect on your mental health and it’s important to share how you’re feeling and get the right support. There may be strategies your employer can provide to help you manage, and you might be able to access mental health support services through your company. You can also get in touch with your GP.
- Plan what you can
Plan ahead, ask neighbours or family friends for help, or find a delivery service if you have concerns about getting hold of household supplies or medicines.
- Maintain a healthy routine
Our physical health can affect how we feel inside – likewise, if our mental health isn’t at its best, we’re less likely to want to exercise, which in turn can make it harder to keep a positive mindset. Try to eat healthy meals, drink enough water and exercise regularly. Getting into a healthy morning routine can really set you up mentally for the day ahead – whether it’s a few minutes of meditation, stretching or yoga, switching on a playlist of feel-good music, enjoying an energising smoothie – or all three! – there’s plenty of ways to start your day right, leaving you feeling happier and healthier.
- Take a break from the news
During times like these, people may feel anxious or overwhelmed by the constantly changing alerts and media coverage regarding the spread of the virus. While it can be reassuring to stay up to date on the latest developments, over-exposure to negative material can have an impact on our mood and cause us to worry more. To help improve your mental health, try limiting the time you spend watching or listening to news coverage each day, switching it off once you’ve heard the key headlines.
- Make space for downtime
Take time to relax, re-focus, and get good quality sleep. The busier we are, the harder it can be to switch off after a long day, but that’s when we need our rest and recuperation the most. Many people find that sticking to a regular sleep schedule and pre-sleep routine works wonders, so try to keep a consistent bedtime and consider turning off your tech an hour or two before heading to bed. If you’re being kept awake by worries playing on your mind, write these worries down as part of your pre-sleep routine. While doing this you can also write a to-do list
for the things you want to accomplish tomorrow, making it a little easier to wind down, with a positive mindset for the day ahead.
For further tips on managing your well-being:
- Watch our Self-Care Being Resilient webinar
- Read our guide to Coping with Low Self-Esteem in Your Job hunt here
- Prepare your mind through meditation by listening to Morning Cup of Zen