Today we celebrate world mental health day, but every day we should be on the lookout for ourselves. And we know how difficult it can get these days, so as our way to commemorate this special celebration, we present you self-care ideas to hopefully help you help yourself.
Self-Care Quick Morning Routine to Start Your Day
Whether you’re still on the work-from-home setup or back in the office, here are our favorite morning activities to squeeze in as you start your day. Do them one after the other, and this should take you only 15-20 minutes of your morning tops!
- Shower. Especially showering with cold water, taking a bath in the morning helps wake up your senses and physically and mentally set you up so that it’s time to be productive. Plus, it helps cool you up throughout the day, helping you comfort throughout your working day.
- Meditate. Meditation can improve concentration, decrease stress, reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, and promote overall emotional health. While this works best done in the early time of the morning when the world is quiet, you can still do it even when people are already up - you can check out playlists and meditation apps, put on those headphones, and close out the surroundings around you.
- Pump up the music. Music has been proven to help set the mood in every occasion and situation, and that includes your everyday life. Listening to music (especially to cheerful, inspirational, motivational songs or your favorite records) are proven to reduce stress and lessens anxiety by giving a total brain workout.
- Stretch. Too much work to wake up early to get in 30-minute to an hour’s worth of workout? No problem. A good stretch in the morning can get you by. Stretching relaxes your muscles, increases your blood flow, and prepares your body for the day ahead. Stretching in the morning can also relieve any tension from sleeping the night prior.
- Make your bed. Not only does this make your room tidy, resulting in a clearer mind and reducing stress levels, but fixing your bed every morning marks a productive step first thing and gives you a satisfying feeling of accomplishment so early on, subconsciously encouraging you to be more productive throughout the day.
Self-Care Ideas for the Introvert
- Start a journal. Putting your thoughts into writing helps clear up space in your mind and helps you relax better in the day. According to PsychCentral, keeping a journal can help clarify your thoughts and feelings. And journaling also encourages you to be creative and artistic - which is way fun plus!
- Re-read your favorite book. Re-reading your favorite food is like revisiting old friends you haven’t chatted with in a while - it’s both relaxing and a cheap way to destress. Plus, it’s magical how the same book can be understood differently based on your stage in life.
- Get a hand on gardening. Time and time ,gardening has always proven itself to be a therapeutic activity. According to research, when you get your hands dirty in the garden, this can increase your serotonin levels, which is a happy chemical and a natural antidepressant. As a result, gardening can help relieve stress and anxiety and may help in dealing with depression.
- Consider a social media detox. Social media, when used in moderation, can be helpful, but commonly, they produce unnecessary and unwelcome stress. Studies show that social media tend to lower a person’s self-esteem because of the constant comparison open on these media, so getting off social media can improve your mood, self-appreciation, self-love, and your sleep.
Self-Care Ideas for the Extrovert
- Take an online zumba class. Zumba classes are well-loved by active extroverts because it’s a fun group exercise. Online zumba classes, especially ones that are done on video conferencing platforms where you can see one another, are a wonderful virtual alternative to bust a move and release endorphins (aka your happy hormones).
- Set virtual dates with friends and family. You must’ve missed going out with friends and family, brunches and dinner dates. While that may still be risky these days, you can tweak it up and go online. Turn up the webcam and grab your meal and let’s get that Zoom call in place, or you can also do trivia and game nights to switch it up.
- Organize a watch party of a feel-good movie with your loved ones. Miss going to the cinemas for movie dates with your favorite people? Try setting a watch party instead so you and your loved ones can watch together in the comfort and safety of each of your homes. You can turn on your mics too for the usual side commentaries, and don’t forget your popcorns and drinks!
- Join the TikTok craze. Is there any reason why you shouldn’t be on the top social platform of the year. Channel your energy, talent, and creativity to the trending sharing platform TikTok. If you’re not the performer type, you can still enjoy Tiktok with other people’s videos, and in fact, some therapists
Happy world mental health day, friends. Take care of yourself. :)
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