Mental illnesses can often get in the way of life and daily activities. That’s why positive mental health habits can be so helpful, especially when you incorporate them into every day life!
So without further ado, let’s get to our positive and impactful mental health habits!
These are some of the most helpful mental health habits I have found to stay ahead of my tougher mental health days.
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1. Cook something/anything when you have the energy. Then, when you are hungry but have no energy, you still have homemade food ready to eat!
Photo of meal in a crockpot or slow cooker by sumnersgraphicsinc via iStock.
Aim to make either a whole meal, side, main ingredient (rice, pasta, fish, chicken), snack, or smoothie. This can be a really helpful mental health habit because then when you have days where you are lower energy, you can still eat a yummy meal without having to pay for delivery or cook from scratch.
Think of it like prep cooking for future you, and food can be a love language! Having a crockpot can make this even easier.
2. Invest in comfortable clothes you feel confident in.
Images of Savvi apparel
One of my current favorite athleisure brands is SAVVI because they have cute, comfortable, and sustainable clothes that instantly give me a confidence boost when I put them on.
Feeling comfortable and confident can make a huge difference when stepping out into the world to tackle our goals. And it’s great to help boost your morale even if you stay home all day.
3. Break larger projects into smaller steps when needed.
Congratulate yourself on the small steps too, because it’s all progress graphic by ATSO
For example, when folding laundry, fold the biggest items like towels and sheets first. This way, the pile of clothes to be folded will appear much smaller and doable. Additionally, by folding the biggest items first, you will receive a large dopamine boost that will often help motivate you through the rest of your tasks! This is a super helpful mental health habit to adapt into your daily routine.
4. Practice affirmations and find your favorites.
Graphic of Albert Einstein quote via Pinterest.com
Brainyquote.com always offers a plethora of inspirational and motivational quotes to choose from. You can also filter potential quotes by category and the influential person who first said them!
BONUS: practice affirmations and your favorite motivational quotes in front of a mirror for extra impact on your psyche.
5. Know that the frozen section is your new best friend.
Frozen food in the freezer. Frozen vegetables, soup, ready meals in the freezer
Frozen foods last longer, so you will waste less food and save more money in the long run. This is extra helpful if you have eco and/or financial anxiety!
Especially useful are the frozen pre-cut veggies, fruits, frozen meals, and my happy snacks of mozzarella sticks and jalapeño poppers. Another frozen favorite of mine is waffles, which can be easily prepared in a toaster. So a good mental health habit is to always check out the frozen section of your grocery store.
EXTRA TIP: the microwaveable vegetables are super convenient for making almost any meal with minimal effort.
6. Struggling to process an emotion? Lean into modern media!
Reminder: Make time to feel your feelings so you can process them. Perfect!
Graphic by ATSO made in Canva
For instance, watch a drama to cry, a comedy to laugh, or a dramedy (drama + comedy) if you need to laugh and cry.
A helpful mental health habit is to watch a correlating show or movie for the feeling or situation you are currently trying to process. Or listen to music that matches the mood you are currently feeling or need to express. No matter the media format, this method helps you give yourself a comfortable and safe space to process that emotion.
7. Need to clean your space but low on energy? Clean the hotspots first.
Graphic by ATSO made with Canva
Cleaning the hotspots first has a big overall impact when it comes to cleaning with mental health.
What are hotspots? Well, general hotspots in homes tend to include the bed itself, bathroom counters, kitchen sinks, and stovetops. These spots are where we sleep, perceive ourselves, and the hearth of our modern home respectively. Feel free to stop halfway through a task if you need to. Even small cleaning efforts can still have a big impact, and breaks are healthy.
I hope you have found these suggested coping skills and healthy mental health habits helpful!
Always yours,
Sara, ATSO
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