Often, society treats people with vices with contempt. But not all of these people have the same story. Some people keep living inside their heads because of too much pressure they face in reality, and these vices, temporary escapes, are what allow them to pull through tough times.
If you happen to be one of them, understand that you could still break free from it. Even substance and drug users have voluntarily signed themselves up at addiction recovery centers to start a new life. So you can be sure there’s always hope, and change could happen. The first step is to recognize you need the change.
Seek professional help if you feel that it is already beyond your control. Otherwise, you can try to start a new lifestyle with the support of the people you trust. Whatever lifestyle you want to pursue, you can complement it with these habits that could help your mental wellness.
Start your day early.
Following the normal circadian dips, you could rouse yourself at six in the morning, or even as early as five, depending on what time you usually go to bed.
Take the time to clear your mind. When you wake up late, you tend to plunge into the rigors of the day as soon as you get up. When you wake up, spend a few seconds enjoying the thought that you’re alive, and you have another day ahead. Then start your day with a purpose. That day, you will finish a project. That day, you will try to cook a new dish. Or maybe that day, you won’t let your colleagues get into your nerves.
Don’t rush.
Allocate enough time for everything. Rushing could produce mediocre outputs, ruin your mood, and stress you out. Also, remember that when you are hurrying to finish one thing, the successive tasks you need to do throughout the day are often affected. It’s either your first schedule encroaches on the next or you get too drained accomplishing something in a rush you don’t have the adequate energy for the others you have lined up for the day.
Be mindful of everything you do, be mindful of your thoughts.
There are several things we do subconsciously. Most of them are because of our built-in biases. Try to go through your day without your filters. See the people on the streets, the girl at the take out counter, or the doorman at your office. Be conscious of how you have interacted with them.
Being mindful of our thoughts also allows us to check our feelings of sadness and anger. When we start feeling down, we could immediately recall our thoughts and see if we could just let it go or do something about it.
Talk to friends regularly.
Some people say they don’t need anyone to get by in life. But that’s a lie. We all need at least one person who will listen to us unload everything that’s been stressing us. It doesn’t have to be a friend. It could be a professional counselor. But if you do have people you trust, meet with them from time to time to share your lives. If you have a mental problem, don’t rush yourself in opening to others. Take your time to open up gradually.
Spend time breathing fresh air every day.
Staying too long in an enclosed space could dampen our spirits. Take breaks to get out and breathe in the air beyond your filtered office air. It’s’s always refreshing to go on brisk walks before and after your work hours. In the morning, it stimulates your brain, and in the evening, it could help you clear your mind from the day’s work.
Practice a night routine if you have trouble falling asleep.
Our constant exposure to screens, work stressors, and other brain stimulants have caused a lot of us to have sleep disorders. Lack of sleep means lowered energy levels for work the following day, mediocre outputs, irritability, and eventually feeling down and out of sorts. If the cycle is repeated several times, it could have a significant impact on your mental health. There are several sleep-inducing activities, but the best is to incorporate them into a routine so that your body knows when you’re about to sleep.
Every day, we battle our demons. It could be the stresses at work, in the family, or some mistakes we made some time ago. Our mental wellness should always be conditioned and strengthened so that we do not easily succumb to temporary escapes. As long as we are alive, we still have a fighting chance to improve and live better lives.
