It’s Time to Talk Day, an annual opportunity to chat about mental wellbeing. But while today is an annual opportunity to put time aside to talk about our cognitive health, it’s good to remember that if you ever do want to talk about how you feel with a friend, colleague or doctor you can at any time.
So today is really just a dedicated chance to bring mental health to the forefront of our minds and share some tips on how we can all take good care of ourselves.
Exercise
It’s been proven that exercise, whether it’s a 20 minute run or 40 minute walk, can have a really positive impact on our mental wellbeing.
One of the great things about exercise? You can do it in the comfort of your own home, too.
Check out free yoga videos on YouTube, or spend time dancing around in your living room to a dance workout. It’s rare that we (as in humans) actively want to make time to exercise but we know the difference it makes to our mood. So whatever takes your fancy, know that it’s more than enough.
Hobbies
Hobbies aren’t only a good way to help manage anxiety and stress but also a chance to make time for doing something we enjoy. Anything can be a hobby:
Baking, gym, riding a bike, reading, learning a new skill! It just gives you the time to take your mind away to a different place.
In the past couple of years colouring has really grown in popularity as a simple way to combat stress and anxiety. There are a lot of fairly-priced colouring books available for adults to find some peace in their busy lives, and we’re certain it counts as a hobby, too.
They require just enough concentration to keep you occupied, without being taxing on the mind. Perfect for doing if you have distractions around you as well.
Whatever it is that you’ve found, as long as you enjoy it and it helps you feel well, stick with it!
Self-care
Meditation.
Thanks to the internet there’s a whole bunch of free guided meditations available to try out. And if you don’t fancy finding one online, try sitting in stillness while breathing deeply for 10 minutes – it’s surprising what a difference carving out that time for yourself can make.
Finding ways to sink into a good sleeping pattern is another way to put self-care first. By committing to a regular bed-time and limiting screen time before hitting the pillow we can all (hopefully) help ourselves to relax into a routine that leaves us feeling rested and revitalised. If we get good sleep, we’re more likely to be able to function better at work and in our personal lives.
Writing down how we feel about our day or week – or just current mindset – is a practical way to manage our mental health. The practise of writing down how we feel serves as a good release and can help clear the mind when it’s feeling bogged down and busy. Equally, it can help us manage anxious thoughts in a more logical way by reading them as separate to ourselves.
And finally, a friendly reminder that you are not alone, someone is always there for you. If you aren’t feeling 100% please do reach out to your GP, friend, sibling, parent, partner, colleague, or local wellbeing service.
Here’s a few services that might help you or someone you know:
