Written by: Jonathan Zalesne
We all know that life comes with it’s ups and downs. Sometimes we are in a busy go-go-go season, sometimes we’re in a bit of a lull. It can naturally be easier to find time for self-care and focusing on your mental health when the pace is slower and you have more opportunity, but how do we re-prioritize taking time for self-care and mental health when life speeds up again?
As the world starts regaining it’s pace, it can be important to explore means of making space for mental health needs.
Why should you make time for your mental health?
Mental health is a vital component of your overall health. Even though it could be nice to do sometimes, we can’t actually separate our mental health from our physical health. So, prioritizing taking time for mental health can be just as important as getting physical activity, managing a healthy diet, and trying to get sufficient sleep.
When to make time for your mental health?
You probably know when you’re feeling run down. Maybe a sign that you have some mental health fatigue is that you need to zone out on a screen for hours at night to de-stress. Maybe you aren’t sleeping the same. Maybe you haven’t had all your meals in a day for more days than you can keep track of. Maybe you’re living mostly on caffeine and you may or may not be drinking almost no water but counting the water in your coffee instead (Or maybe that’s just me?). Maybe it looks like over-scheduling yourself and sometimes forgetting commitments or plans with friends because you’re stretched too thin.
Any of these can be signs that you need to give your mind a little time to slow down and reset.
How to take time for your mental health?
You know yourself. Finding a way to advocate to your boss or social network for some support and time to decompress can be incredibly important. Whether you work a job with standard hours, an erratic and unpredictable schedule, or whether a four-year-old is your boss, finding a little space just for you away from your daily responsibilities can be managed.
What to do for your mental health?
When you finally have a little time to yourself, check in on what would be most helpful. Do you decompress best with a good book? A walk? A delicious treat yourself meal? Sitting silently and having no one ask you to do something for fifteen minutes straight?
You know how you recharge best!
When you get your window of time, try paying attention to what it does for your mental and emotional state. Notice when you feel more calm, more energized, more sleepy…etc. Listen to the queues your body is giving you.
If your body is telling you that all this space and time and slowing down is great, but actually it isn’t quite enough and there is still a lot going on in there, and maybe you could use a little more support slowing it down and organizing everything, that could be a great time to reach out for therapy.
Having someone to talk to and help you sort through all these experiences tied up in being a human can be an incredibly supportive way to make space for your mental health.
If you’re curious to learn more about how you can feel supported with your mental health through therapy, connect with us below below!