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There are lots of strategies you can use to maintain your mental health. Simple things such as eating well, reading and listening to music can help to make you feel focused and happy.
THINGS YOU CAN TRY
Here are some strategies and activities you can try. They will help to keep you motivated and enable you to keep going.
A WELL BALANCED DIET
Food fuels and re-energises us, it has an impact on our mood and is a vital component in everything we do. We should all be eating a well-balanced diet in order to get all the nutrients we need to keep our body and mind in optimum condition. The kind of food we eat is also a factor, a diet heavy in carbs and processed food can result in feeling sluggish and negative, somewhat a quick and easy fix. We often ‘eat’ on our emotions, most know this to be called ‘comfort eating’ and mindfulness can really help with this. Introducing slow, gradual changes is the best way to tackle your diet. Ask yourself how hungry you are on a scale of 1 to 10 before you eat. Eat slowly and really take time to taste your food. You may find by doing this you actually don’t enjoy the taste of chocolate or cake, it may taste too sweet, something you wouldn’t necessarily notice if you ate it quickly. A great tip is to not tell yourself you ‘can not have’ something, instead try telling yourself you ‘choose not to have’ it. And if you still really want it after that, go ahead and have it… and enjoy it! Don’t feel guilty but make sure you balance it with something to ensure you do not go back into the state of eating a particular thing that is not good. It is how you manage it, moderation.
DO WHAT YOU LOVE
Doing what you enjoy and challenging yourself works wonders for your mindset. Word searches, puzzles and crosswords are especially good for keeping the brain ticking over, and they help to take your mind off of what’s worrying you and help you to relax. Taking part in joint activities bring you together with people who have similar interests. It could be playing a board game, riding a bike, watching a bit of television together, playing video games or art therapy. The likelihood of meeting someone who enjoys what you enjoy is high and that is the beautiful thing about taking part in activities, you will definitely find someone with the same interest as you! That’s where it starts, you can then build a connection with that person or group and increase your confidence as well as your ability to socialise and the chances are you’ll learn something new at the same time.
READING
Reading is a big part of our life. From a very early age, we have bedtime stories read to us. We then learn to read ourselves and go on to discover the joy of escaping into a book. Most of us read something every day, for some, it’s a daily ritual to read a newspaper. Others relax with a magazine, a book, or their online social media pages. Reading calms the mind and more often than not we enjoy it. We also read to learn and gain knowledge, to educate and inform ourselves. An interesting fact is, if we enjoy what we are reading, we are more receptive to the information and absorb it better than if we didn’t enjoy or like what we are reading. Therefore, try to approach reading something new or unfamiliar with an open mind and make no prejudgments about whether you’ll like it or not, and see if you actually do like it afterwards. Give it a go… It’s worth a try!
THE POWER OF MUSIC
Music is great for regulating your mood. Because of its rhythmic and repetitive aspects, it engages the neocortex of the brain, which calms us down and can help stop us from acting impulsively. It’s good to listen to music that doesn’t mirror how you’re feeling though. For example, if you are feeling sad or depressed you will only make yourself feel worse by tuning in to sad songs, even though you may not feel like it try listening to upbeat, happy tunes instead and see if they lift your mood. Nine times out of ten they will. On the other hand, if you are feeling angry, anxious or agitated then soothing music can help to calm you down and relax you, whereas hi-energy music will have the opposite effect.
Playing a musical instrument can also have an amazingly positive impact on your mental wellbeing, You can use it to express yourself emotionally and convey how you are feeling. All great musicians tell their stories through the power of music, it’s a wonderful way of getting your feelings and thoughts out. Even if all you do is bang a drum, you’ll find it therapeutic.
SOCIALISING AND TALKING
Social isolation has been found to be one of the key triggers for mental illness. People with supportive friends and family generally have better mental and physical health than those who lack these networks.
Connecting with friends and loved ones helps in many ways, as it builds confidence, social inclusion, and more. Keeping in touch with those you care about is a great way to help with mental health. They can be there for you and you can be there for them offering hope and strength to each other. Having a connection with those you care for means that in times of need, you know they will be there for you and that can give your mental health a positive boost.
Why not join a local group, whether physically or online? Look for forums or communities where you have interests in common. Churches are a great place to connect in with others and there are always clubs and voluntary organisations too. Volunteering is a good way to focus on this particular development, while you are helping others as part of a team, you take your focus off of your own issues for a little while, then in due time hoping you can continue to develop these social relations, it can turn into something amazing.
LEARN A NEW SKILL
Research shows that learning a new skill can improve your mental wellbeing. It can also boost your self-esteem. As your confidence builds you will gain a new sense of purpose. Even if you feel like you just don’t have the time or motivation, or you don’t need to learn anything new, it’s good to push yourself and give it a go. Promise you you’ll feel so much better. Getting started can be the most difficult step, but once you do you won’t regret it! There are lots of different ways to bring learning into your life. It’s good to try different things and it’s empowering to gain new skills. The NHS recommends finding an activity you enjoy and making it a part of your life. Maybe start off learning to cook something new? They suggest taking on a new responsibility at work, such as mentoring a junior staff member or improving your presentation skills. Work on a DIY project, such as fixing a broken bike, the garden gate, or something bigger like building a shed. There are lots of free video tutorials online. Or you could consider signing up for a course at a local college or learning centre, maybe try learning a new language or a practical skill. The possibilities are endless and the opportunities are there!
Coping with Covid was a free online mental wellbeing event with a focus on practical strategies you can incorporate to help you cope during these times of Covid. This enabled those in attendance to explore mental wellbeing through the perspectives, experiences and stories of five speakers. It was an amazing 90 minutes of openness, sharing and learning.
To find out about upcoming events take a look at our Events page.
“During the initial lockdown, I was nearing the end of my maternity leave and preparing to return to work. Lockdown enabled me and my family to spend quality time together, engaging in joint activities (e.g. movie nights, cooking and baking together). Building a daily routine also helped to keep life in order at home, especially with home-schooling. I feel my faith also enabled me to cope and gave me a sense of hope and appreciation for the people and things I have access to. It also enabled me to appreciate the family and friends I have, giving me the time and space to reconnect with them.”
“Sesi is passionate about helping others. Through his own life experiences he has acquired deep understanding of the pressures and challenges facing the youth of today living in big cities. He connects with young people through their common love for football to improve physical and mental wellbeing. Sesi is an asset to his community.”
— Dr Jonathan Collie, The Common Room