Improve Your Mental Wellness

4 Min

Put the glass down.

Improve your mental wellness by observing yourself and taking breaks.

Here are five tactics you can use to improve your mental wellness:

1. Count your blessings

It's easy to take little things for granted. Make time everyday to list what you're grateful for — like the coffee you're drinking, or that you have a short commute to work.


For example, think of five things everyday and keep them in a journal or sticky-note on your desk.

2. Check in with yourself


Actively observe your body, emotions, and thoughts without judgment at the beginning and end of each day.

For example, don't be afraid to ask yourself questions. How does your body feel? What kind of thoughts are you having? How do you feel emotionally?

3. Take care of your body


Make a conscious effort to listen to your body and recognize what you need.


Practice healthy eating, drink water, exercise, and keep a consistent sleeping schedule — even when you’re not that stressed.

4. Talk to people


According to Stanford research scientist, Emma Seppala, people who feel more connected to others have higher levels of self-esteem and lower levels of anxiety and depression.


Make an effort to talk to people. This can be as simple as asking your coworker out for lunch or coffee.

5. Take breaks


A 2011 study by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign showed that prolonged attention to a single task can actually hurt performance. Breaks can help you refocus your brain and give you the clarity you need to keep going.


When you find yourself working on a project for too long, take a break. Take a walk around your workplace, step outside, or switch to another task.

Think back to that glass of water. If you put down the glass for a few minutes or switch hands, you’re more able to handle the weight. So go for a walk or grab a snack.

To recap:


1. Count your blessings

2. Check in with yourself

3. Take care of your body

4. Talk to people

5. Take breaks

Time for a quiz.

Yiliana is writing an important article for her company website and wants to make sure her mental well-being is sustained as she dives into this important task. What’s one thing Yiliana can do at work to manage her mental well-being?

Quiz 1 of 1

What’s one thing Yiliana can do at work to manage her mental well-being?

a
Observe her body, thoughts, and feelings every day
b
Ask her manager to give her a different job assignment
c
Take time to recover after the article is published
d
Work late nights and weekends to finish the article early

The correct answer is A. Observe her body, thoughts, and feelings every day.


Yiliana should make time to check in with herself at least once every day. If she notices she feels overwhelmed, she should consider taking a short break.

Take the next step:

There are many ways to improve or maintain mental wellness, and what works for one person may not work for another.The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has a database of classes, events, and support groups that can provide additional support if you need to talk about mental health.

Lesson complete

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