Mental health is just as important as your physical health.
In fact, poor mental health can adversely affect your physical health.
So what I want to share with you are healthy habits for good mental health.
It’s the little things we do on a daily basis that add up to big results.
None of these habits are groundbreaking or even difficult.
They’re all practical habits you can start implementing today.
Quick Access
Make Your Bed
Ok. You’ve probably heard this one before, but there’s a reason that you have!
Why should you make your bed?
It’s an easy way to start your day with accomplishing something.
It can kick-start your productivity.
A made bed will also make your room look instantly neater.
There’s really no reason not to make your bed, so if you don’t already you should try it!
Eat The Frog
Do your hardest, least pleasant task first and just get it out of the way.
Putting it off will only add more stress to your day.
Getting it done right away means it won’t be weighing on your mind and even if you get nothing else done – you got that one pesky task out of the way!
Watch more Sunrises & Sunsets
Both sunrises and sunsets are beautiful and inspiring.
It’s hard to stay in a bad mood when you’re experiencing such beauty.
It can make you feel grateful for the Earth and to be alive.
Watching the sunrise gives you a reason to wake up early, watching the sunset gives you a reason to take an evening walk outside.
You will never experience the exact same rise or set twice.
I 10/10 recommend you try both.
Wear SPF
No matter what your skin tone is or where you live, you should be wearing SPF on a daily basis.
It’s one of the easiest ways to help keep your skin healthy.
Exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UV) can prematurely age your skin and cause all sorts of problems.
Especially if you spend time outdoors between 10 AM – 4 PM when the sun’s rays are the strongest.
Even if you’re in a car, the window tint will not adequately protect your skin.
You have to do that.
Move Your Body
Remember how I said your mental health can impact your physical health?
It works the other way too – your physical health can impact your mental health.
Besides, thanks to Elle Woods, we all know that exercise gives you endorphins.
Endorphins are hormones that are produced to decrease the pain signals in your body.
But you don’t have to do any hardcore painful workouts to achieve this.
One of the most overlooked ways to get movement is simply walking.
Walking is especially effective because it has also been shown to increase your mental well-being.
Trade Soda for Water
Soda is tasty but it doesn’t actually hydrate you.
Regular soda is also full of sugar and calories.
Even if you opt for diet soda, there are studies linking artificial sweeteners to weight gain.
The acid in most sodas is not doing your teeth any favors either.
It can be difficult, but try to drink more water.
If you drink a lot of soda, consider replacing just one with water.
A lot of us don’t drink the proper amount of water, despite how healthy it is for us.
Practice Mindfulness
Being mindful is about being present in the now.
Too often we are thinking about things that haven’t happened yet, or things that already have.
We forget to pay proper attention to the moment we’re currently in.
A mindfulness practice is something that is personal to you.
It doesn’t have to be something that takes a long time either, you just have to get started.
It might mean praying, meditating or something else entirely.
Do what feels right for you.
Keep Learning
We are all never-ending students of life!
Make sure to continue learning and trying new things.
Open your mind and expose yourself to new ideas and experiences.
There is always something else to learn and so much information available at our finger-tips.
Unplug
While the internet can be a great place to learn things, it can also just sort of suck you in.
I think everyone knows what I mean about just mindlessly scrolling.
Or even worse, scrolling and making ourselves feel bad because of other people’s lives.
It should come as no surprise that this is not good for your mental health.
Technology is not a bad thing by any means, we just aren’t meant to be constantly connected to it.
One of the best healthy habits for good mental health is to detox from social media every once in a while.
If we’re honest, we could all use a little less screen time.
Stay Organized
Physical cleaning can help clear your mental space as well.
A clear space can lead to a clear mind.
I think we all feel better when we’re in a neat and tidy environment.
But beyond just physical space, you should also plan your days wisely.
That doesn’t have to mean a super strict schedule that outlines each hour of your day, but your day should have some sort of structure.
When your days don’t have any structure, it can be difficult to focus and even cause anxiety.
So be sure to make a basic plan for your day.
I actually have a bunch of resources to help you with that!
Develop Good Routines
Good routines give you freedom.
I know that might sound counter-intuitive, but it’s true!
Daily practice is where the magic happens, which is why you hear so many successful and talented people have them.
Having good routines will also free up your mental space for things other than what you should do next.
It could be a morning routine..
It could also be an evening routine, night routine or even a creativity routine.
Complain Less
Complaining is something that we all do sometimes and can be a difficult habit to break.
But complaining is never a positive response to a situation and often times it doesn’t even make you feel better.
Life is not perfect, if you look for something to complain about chances are you will find it.
But try to have a more positive outlook and search for things to be happy about instead.
Gratitude
If you’ve read almost any of my other posts, you already know how important gratitude is to your happiness and your life in general.
Studies have suggested that gratitude literally changes the way your brain functions over time.
The more you practice gratitude, the happier you are.
Remember that you already have so much to feel grateful for in your life right now.
Appreciate all the good that you already have in your life and stop waiting for things to be better to be happy.
Starting a gratitude practice can be as simple as just thinking about all of the things you are grateful for, but I recommend writing them down so that you can revisit them later.
Reflect on Your Days
Reflection helps develop our understanding.
Sometimes we can’t see things clearly when we’re in the moment and it takes hindsight to give us that 20/20 vision.
You can use reflection to help you improve and grow.
It gives your brain a moment to pause and to challenge your assumptions.
Reflecting through something like journaling can help you gain clarity and see situations from different perspectives.
It’s important to reflect on how far you’ve come and not just how far you still have to go.
That was all 14 different healthy habits for good mental health that you can start doing today for a happier tomorrow!
Of course, the changes won’t be instant.
But we are what we repeatedly do and implementing these habits into your life will surely make you a happier person over time.
Let me know which ones you’re going to adopt in the comments at the bottom!
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