There is no question that the world is quite a chaotic place right now. On top of the everyday stressors of being a parent, working hard, etc. we have a pandemic thrown into the mix. It is easy to get lost in the negativity of life. Here are 5 ways to help your mental health throughout the day.
1. Wake up 10 minutes earlier
This may be hard since most parents are sleep-deprived or some people just plain love their sleep. I get it; however, those 10 minutes could be detrimental to setting up your day for success. Take these 10 minutes of silence before your family gets up for yourself. I recommend 5 minutes of meditation. Sit down and set your intentions for the day. I then recommend 5 minutes of preparing for your day. What is a rundown of how you want the day to go? What tasks need to be accomplished? By preparing for the day early in the morning, there is less chance of being stressed out or getting caught off guard.
2. Get Outside
Getting outside and exploring nature has been shown to decrease stress and depression. By staying inside with artificial lights, watching the news, being on social media, it can be hard to destress from the world. Take a walk around the neighborhood, have lunch on a bench near a park, or take your kids to the park.
3. Light a Candle or Use a Diffuser
Grab a candle of your favorite scent and light it for a couple of minutes. Grab a lavender essential oil and add it to a Diffuser. I personally have a diffuser in my office that I put a couple of drops of Lavender essential oil in daily. The scent of Lavender has been found to decrease anxiety.
4. Leave for your commute 5 minutes early
This may take time to achieve but if you are not rushed to drop off your kids in school and not rushed to get to work you will be less stressed. Rushing in traffic never helped anyone. Being rushed leads to anxiety, stress, and sometimes road rage.
5. Mini Reward at the End of the day
This honestly could be at any time of the day. It can be a couple of minutes to continue planning a trip. It can be a 30-minute phone date/Facetime to talk to your best friend on the phone. Dinner with your partner at a restaurant you’ve been wanting to try or planning the dinner. Grabbing your favorite cup of coffee from the overpriced coffee shop (you deserve it). Studies have shown that having something to look forward to can decrease depression.
Try one or all 5 of these little ways to take a moment for yourself. It’s also important to remember life is hard. It is hard for everyone. It is important to make our mental health a priority.
