The holidays can be tough sometimes. Everyone is trying to meet their end of year quota, fundraising goal, or sales amount. It’s really dark outside. People are crazy on the roads and the aisles trying to get the best deal or last Easy Bake Oven–these are back! Did you know that?
Anyway, sometimes the holidays can be tough, so it’s important to take care of your mental health not just this month but every month. If you’re stressed, worried and anxiety-filled it affects not only you, but your relationships as well. You can’t lash out at your boss, so who do you lash out at? That’s right, significant others, family and friends.
In this society that is totally and completely centered around work, we have to find a balance or we are all going to die really young from stress levels. So here are some ways to take care of your mental health.
–Change your perspective and remember your blessings. If someone asks, “is the glass full or empty?” Respond, “Who cares, it’s clean water.” Some places in this country and others still don’t have clean water.
-Remember 3 positives outweigh a negative. If something terrible happens, think of three wonderful things going on in your life. For example, something goes wrong with an end of year goal…then remember Christmas is coming and you don’t have to go to work for a few days, you filled up your car this morning so you don’t have to stop for gas in traffic on the way home, and Netflix is now letting you download shows so you don’t have to be online. We’re programmed to see the negative, so we have to rewire our brains to see the positive!
-You are as happy as you choose to be! So choose to be happy! Leave the drama at work and enjoy the fact that you get a few hours at home with your people or your pets.
-Have a Fun-day! I like Friday Funday because it’s an alliteration, but maybe Tuesdays are really hard for you and you need that to be your fun-day. Reward yourself for getting through that day. It can be as small as saving your favorite song on your playlist until you get in the car. Or always stopping by Wendy’s for frosty on the way home. Whatever you need, make it a fun-day.
-Volunteer. I always feel better after giving back, so pick your favorite charity and do good in your community for a few hours.
-Remember you can’t take care of others if you don’t take care of yourself. Eat. Sleep. Drink Diet Coke and watch Dancing With The Stars if you can’t live without it. No, just me? You have to take care of your basic necessities before you can care for others.
–Unplug. For the love of God, we have to stop answering emails after work hours. Go home and shut down your phone. The day I realized emails were part of the reason I was so miserable and I stopped answering them after 5, my whole world changed. Spend time instead taking care of your relationships. Go see friends, eat dinner with your significant other, or call your mom.
-Have a hobby that makes you happy. Blogging makes me happy. I will never be a big blogger, but that’s ok. I do it because I love it.
-Write down something you’re grateful for every morning. Write down one thing every morning that you are grateful for. It can be something small like I found two matching socks this morning, or something big like, I’m grateful I have a job that makes me happy to go to work every day. I like cards so I can stick it in my purse or pocket and remind myself that that’s what I’m grateful for today.
In fact, I love them so much I’ve made a Year of Gratitude gift! These are perfect stocking stuffers or just a prize to yourself to keep you thankful. They are business card sized so you can keep them in your wallet or a pretty card box. You can find the year of gratitude gift here. You can also do an instant download and print your own.
How do you take care of your mental health?
