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Take everything one day and one step at a time
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), stress is a global health epidemic. It is very common (and of course completely normal) for us to have an overwhelming amount of stress built up in our heads over certain aspects of everyday life. Someone once told me to just breathe and take everyday as it comes, rather than trying to reach perfection in a day. So, if you have 5 long essays due all in the month for example, focus on them one by one. Perhaps break down the word count instead of trying to write the essay from beginning to end. I had a habit of not focusing on one thing, but focusing on several things at a time and trying to multi- task, when in reality I just needed to take a deep breath and focus on one and then once that was done, I could move on.
Another example could be if you just happened to have a bad day in general. You could resist the urge to think 'my whole life is bad' and shift your thinking to: 'this is just one bad day out of many.' Mindset is extremely important when it comes to your well being. Your mindset even affects the quality of your day because if you spend an entire day thinking about what could go wrong, there is no opportunity to think about what could go right, and therefore your perspective on the day will always be a negative one. A little trick I do is to reflect on the positive side of the day. Write down and evaluate all the amazing things that have happened no matter how big or small. Rate them. Also, if you go through the negative aspects as well, work on how you can change those things- and if they are out of your control then work on acceptance. (something that I very much struggle with.)
Tip- try writing down exactly what you are grateful for everyday.
Take a break
Feeding in with the last one, don't be afraid to take time off whatever it is you are planning to achieve. Make sure you time the break correctly, so for example, if you are doing an essay, perhaps take a few hours to do something else that is not playing with your phone. Take the time to go for a run, bake, sing, dance, progress on any language learning you may be doing, call a friend etc. I recommend not going on social media as this will draw your attention away, and from personal experiences, it can make you procrastinate! Something which I find useful on my study or work breaks is finding inspiration on Pinterest. This is an App similar to Instagram where you can pin your favourite things. This can be to do with your own leisure activities such as cooking, learning languages. art, make up etc. But also academic inspiration. If for example, you are struggling with essay structure, or how to build up within your career, or fitness, there are plenty of tips to get you going. All it takes is motivation and practise.
Personal relationships
We all have personal relationships with people that perhaps don't go to plan. You may have friends who you are not getting along with anymore, or you may feel that their behaviour is toxic and they no longer add the same value to your life as before.
A simple way to deal with this is to use the 'mute' option a lot more often. This allows you to wipe out anyone or anything on your social media timelines that causes you to feel pain. For example, someone who you think has a "better" lifestyle than you, a "better" face, or someone who you have had a past romantic relationship with who you would rather not see. This could also be a company who you know you spend far too much money on shopping with them. (I must admit I have had to do this recently.) This way, you could filter out anything that is harmful to your mental health and well-being.
Take time out in nature- get moving!
Living in a small rural town means I get to enjoy nature pretty much whenever I have the time. Whilst in the current lockdown situation, I have actually discovered many different 'hidden gems' within my town. Being able to walk through fields with beautiful views, surrounded by animals is something that always lifts my spirits and deep down improves my mood. Whatever the weather, its great to go on walks whether that be by yourself or with friends and family. Exercise is one of the key ways to improve your well-being physically and mentally.
Self care routines
Sometimes it can be difficult to find the time and motivation to incorporate self care routines into your life, but I would highly recommend doing this. You will definitely thank yourself later! Anyone can do this whether you are male or female, and in whatever way you want! This can be in the form of a skin care routine, putting aside 10 minutes a day to get rid of anything in your mind that is not serving you, meditation twice a day (one session in the morning, one at night), always making your bed in the morning, decluttering... the list is endless. Even if you can only manage a few minutes of self focus, that is better than nothing! I would also recommend taking the time to take deep breaths every so often as a lot of the time, we tend to rush through life and make sure everything gets done as quickly as possible. As mentioned in the first point, try not to juggle too much at a time.
YouTube videos - videos that have inspired me and can also inspire you further:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkZl2gsLUp4&t=314s - How to manage your mental health Tedx Talk.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAestsXAWsw - 7 ways to detox your emotional wellbeing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWVcSwcbDK0 - How to Improve Your Mental Health- Depression, Anxiety and Stress.
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Thank you so much! Your advice has improved my wellbeing a huge amount during this stressful time. Keep it up girl💗
ReplyDeleteVery helpful and beneficial! 😊
ReplyDeleteI’ve loved reading this! This can definitely help so many people with their mental health and has definitely helped me in staying positive��
ReplyDeleteA legendary post, an amazing read! Well done. :)
ReplyDelete