Managing Mental Health

To say this year has been tough would be an understatement.

Amidst a pandemic, racial disparity, forest fires, and more things than one could ever begin listing, stress levels are at an all-time high around the globe.

Many of us have been forced into a new way of living that has negatively affected our overall mental health. While at times it feels like it would be much easier to just throw in the towel and disregard our responsibilities all together, that isn’t a realistic solution for anyone. Despite the high levels of stress and anxiety we face each day, many of us feel forced into prioritizing other things over our mental health; like work, school, family, friends, etc. While all those wonderful things are very important, they can be the cause of our diminishing psychological wellness.

Growing up, we’ve all been taught that in order to manage and maintain our physical health we must eat clean and nutrient rich foods, get plenty of exercise, and drink lots of water. While this is all very true, we oftentimes miss the opportunity to educate others on the importance of managing our mental health. A key message to remember is that our mental health is just as important as our physical health!

Here are our top three suggestions that you can start implementing immediately to help manage your mental health:

1. Setting clear boundaries
   Setting boundaries is a great way to take control and responsibility for how others treat you. For some, boundary setting can be easy, for others, it can be very complex and stressful. The purpose of setting clear guidelines for ourselves is to alleviate the stress around how others treat us. Not sure on how or where to start? Here are a few examples;

   • For a romantic relationship: Asking your partner to spend one or two nights a week to be alone to be able to relax and taking time to unwind! 

   • In the workplace: Choosing to keep your personal life and professional life separated by not speaking with co-workers about your private matters. For some, this allows work to be an escape from their personal lives. 

2. Learning to say NO.
   Learning to say NO is an important means of taking control of our lives. Possessing the ability to say “no” to attending an event or doing a friend a favour, especially when you are not feeling 100%, either mentally or physically, means you are able to prioritize your own feelings and needs. Saying NO shouldn’t be something you feel guilty about, but rather empowered by! 

3. Listening to your body.
   It is easy to push yourself too hard sometimes. Listening to our bodies sounds like a simple task, when in reality, it is a very difficult thing to do. For those of us who live busy lifestyles, sometimes listening to what our body needs isn’t always an option. It is okay to push yourself, but prioritizing our mental and physical health is essential to our overall well-being. If you’re crazy busy (like me), here are a few helpful tricks that I personally use to listen to my own body;

   • If I’m over-tired: The 20-minute nap method. How this works is you lay down and rest for 20 minutes, even if you don’t fall asleep. Set a timer, put away your phone, and rest for the full 20 minutes. Even 20 short minutes can do wonders for the sleepy! 

   • Stress: Take a nice hot bath before bed! I always find that after a long stressful day, a quick bath can make me feel more calm and relaxed, which also helps with my sleep. 

“If you don’t make time for your wellness, you will be forced to make time for your illness.”

— Joyce Sunada

#IfICanDoItSheCanToo

Author: Carlynn Overbury, Marketing Coordinator