Life can be stressful, especially when you're busy all the time. Whether you have children to look after, you have a stressful 9-to-5 or just someone who always has errands to run or people to see, many people barely have to sleep, never mind looking after their mental well-being. Not only can this lead to further stress as you don't have time to relax, but it can also cause burnout and exhaustion, which can start to take a toll on your mental health.
Mental health, although more widely recognised as something that is just as important as physical health, is still undervalued as a society as something that needs to be addressed every day. When you maintain your mental health through small and purposeful habits, you can avoid a crash and start to genuinely look after your mental health and start feeling happier and healthier in your everyday life. But how do you do this? Well, by creating simple routines, you can start to take care of your mental health.
If this sounds like something that resonates with you nd your life, that you would like to work on, read on and discover how you can create habits that care for yourself mentally.
Why do routines work?
Routines do not just introduce consistency to a person's life, but they can have many other benefits that go unknown to the average person, including:
Conserving mental energy: The brain's prefrontal cortex can help to avoid decision fatigue when there is a pre-established routine. This gives time for the brain to shut off and let the routine take control.
Reduces anxiety: A trusted roadmap for a particular part of your life provides a sense of predictability, even when other parts of your life are less predictable, which can help to calm nerves and instil a sense of structure.
Supports brain chemistry: Small repeated acts naturally release mood-boosting serotonin and dopamine, which can help to improve mental health in the long run and bring positivity to everyday routines.
Small routine that you can implement
There are small but powerful routines that you can implement into your everyday routines, which can make a big difference and achieve all of the benefits mentioned above in a way which is easy to slot in and low effort. It can be as easy as ensuring that you exercise to stimulate the brain, or getting enough and constant sleep. These are some small routines that you can implement into your everyday life to care for your mental health:
Consistent sleep: Going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day can help to support your circadian rhythm system and help to regulate your mood. It's easy to forget how important sleep is not only for your day's energy but also to support other things, such as gut health and physical health.
Morning anchor: Starting your day with mindful actions such as stretching, journaling, or even having a glass of water to give you quality time, but also to anchor yourself and make your mornings feel purposeful.
Digital boundaries: It's important to schedule specific breaks from passive scrolling and doom scrolling on social media for time off screen, to reduce background noise and to help to reduce anxiety. This helps to create a clear mind and reduce overstimulation which can start top effect daily life.
Daily movement: Ensuring that you build exercise into your daily routines is the best way to help to alleviate physical tension. For some people, that may be a small 10-minute walk in the morning, and for others, this could be stretching in the morning, when they wake up, to help improve flexibility and mindfulness.
Eating healthily: Constantly eating food that supports your body rather than flipping between unhealthy and healthy food is the best way to look after your health. Constantly eating a balanced diet of protein, carbohydrate, and healthy fats can help to support your energy levels whilst also ensuring that your body is getting the nutrients it needs to run efficiently. Many people, when they are busy, tend to neglect eating, and this can start to take a toll on general health and energy which can seep into every aspect of life. Eating fish, greens and the occasional treya is the best way to rectify this.
Final thoughts
Simple routines can be easy to implement when you make them achievable and directly relate to your lifestyle and needs. Catering for your mental health should be at the forefront of your life, and this summer is a great chance to put yourself first and look after yourself and your brain. So whether you're going to an Algarve villa this summer with the kids or working overtime, find time to practice these habits and see your mental health improve.
Hello, My name is John Smith, I am a freelance writer and I would love to build up my writing portfolio online.