collaborative post
Taking care of your wellbeing and mental health is always important, but as we enter the colder and darker months of the year it can become even more vital. Many people struggle with seasonal affective disorder, and generally getting up when it’s dark and coming home from work when it’s dark is always going to be difficult. Try these five things to give your mental health a boost.
Improve your home
Home is where the heart is, it should feel like the most comfortable and relaxing places in the world. When you’ve got home from a long day, your home is where you can recover, kick back and unwind so you’re ready to get back out there the next day and face whatever life throws at you. If your home doesn’t feel like a sanctuary, consider making changes. Does it need a declutter and reorganise? Does it need the decor freshening up? Maybe you want to contact a moving company like mybekins.com and move to a completely new area. When you step through the door at the end of a long day, you should breathe a sigh of relief and feel genuinely happy to be back in your space. If you don’t, think about why and what changes need to be made.
Learn a new skill
As humans we’re a curious species, and often at our happiest when we’re learning new things. If you feel like you’re in a bit of a rut, or just bored when you’re not at work then how about learning a new skill? You could join an arts and crafts group, baking or cooking class or even take on an online course? These are great as they can be done from the comfort of your home, and just about any subject will be available somewhere.
Socialise
Are you getting out as much as you should? We all lead busy lives, but it’s important to prioritise and spend some time with the people we love. Arrange coffee dates with friends, host a dinner party and invite people over or organise a trip. Spending time with other people is good for your mental health, you can laugh, chat and gain a new perspective. It prevents loneliness and really gives life meaning.
Exercise
Exercise is good for the body and good for the mind. It releases endorphins and helps you to feel good about yourself. While the weather is cold it can be difficult to stay active, most of us tend to hop in the car or on the bus rather than walk, and we naturally spend more time indoors. But you can still keep up a good regime- join a gym, find an indoor swimming pool or go to an exercise class.
Travel somewhere new
New experiences that come from travel broaden our horizons, they help us to understand more of the world and therefore ourselves. It doesn’t always have to be expensive, tropical destinations. Book a late deal, go somewhere you wouldn’t normally have considered. Chances are you’ll have an amazing time and learn something new.
