When it comes to mental health, there are a lot of different ways you can manage. For many, this can be a really challenging endeavor.
It’s not always easy to implement your strategies in real-time when you get overwhelmed.
However, there are things you can do to help avoid as many stressful situations as possible.
If you’re looking for suggestions for how to limit stressful situations in your life, here are some tips for you.
Limit Your Media Intake
For many, social media can be toxic. It can seem like we are always on our phones, so much so that mobile apps are projected to hit $188.9 billion in revenue by 2020.
Limiting your media intake can help you feel less overwhelmed.
This overwhelmed feeling has been especially prevalent lately with the election, the pandemic, and everything that comes with those two things – it’s a lot.
Taking breaks from the news and media is a perfect way to limit stress. It can be really difficult to stay up to date on current events.
There is a serious mental toll that comes with existing in such difficult times.
One of the best ways to limit the stress from all that, though, is to limit how much media you consume.
Whether it’s a day or a week, go without checking your social media platforms.
You’ll be surprised after a week how much better you feel having been disconnected.
You’ll also realize that even though you weren’t consuming any media when you got back on, it was almost like you hadn’t missed anything.
But you saved yourself the daily stress of hearing the same anxiety-inducing information over and over.
It’s important to recognize your own boundaries and respect them. If you’re feeling like you’re on information overload, take a break.
It’ll only benefit you in the long run to be more mentally prepared when new information comes around.
Clean or Renovate Your Space
Often times, when your mental health feels stagnant, cluttered, or overwhelming, it’s because there’s a parallel to your physical life.
What does the space where you spend the most time look like? Is it cluttered? Overwhelmed? Could it use some attention?
Chances are, the answer is yes. Old, unnecessary belongings can take up space that would otherwise be used for new ideas and projects.
It’s likely you could feel like you need more space to grow. One way you can do this is by cleaning!
Similarly, renovating a space can do wonders for your mental health as well. Start new!
For example, if you have paperwork from old clients that you don’t need anymore, get rid of it.
This is true too if you’re stressing more on a personal level. Let’s say you have belongings still from an old relationship in your room.
Get them out of your space! That isn’t serving you anymore.
Rid your space from the old so there can be room for the new.
Maybe you’re feeling overwhelmed because there’s so much stuff in your office or room that needs to be there, but it feels suffocating.
One way you can fix that is by organizing. Not only will you feel better because everything that needs space has it’s own, but it’ll also help clear some space for yourself.
Alternatively, covering one wall with a mirror will instantly make the room appear twice as deep.
This could help you feel better in the room, even if you can’t actually make it bigger.
Whatever the circumstance, you need to feel like there’s room for you to take up space and also to grow to occupy more, whether this is personally with your own home, finances, relationships, or professionally with new clients and a growing business.
If your mental health is feeling overwhelmed, look to the physical and see what you can do there to help.
Stay Up to Date
Another way you can manage your mental health and limit some anxiety is by staying on top of things.
This can be especially true when it comes to work or your own personal finances.
If you have stress about forgetting tasks that need to be done or whatever it may be, make a list and get to it.
Start completing things! Checking things off your list is not only incredibly satisfying, but it helps you keep track of what you need to do.
This can help you to not stress so much or feel overwhelmed because you have everything you need to do in one succinct place.
If you’re someone who is easily overwhelmed, checklists can be both good and bad. Sometimes it can be too much to see a long list of things that needs to get done.
However, it does help to set a clear goal. When you feel overwhelmed, sometimes it’s hard to know where to begin.
A list can help you with that because you just start at the top. Or if it isn’t time-sensitive, pick any!
For example, let’s stay you have stress over your personal finances. About 35% of your credit score depends on how promptly you pay your bills. If you’re worried about your credit, you can use this fact to ensure that you’re paying your bills as soon as possible.
This way, you can stress less knowing you did the most you could. Staying on top of things can be a great way to feel like you’re more in control and therefore have less stress about whatever it is you need to get done.
Ultimately, you’ll have to decide what works best for you. Your mental health is, after all, your own.
If making a list helps you, do it for as many things as possible. Make it as easy as you can on yourself.
If social media is too much, get rid of it altogether or for periods of time.
You can always get the necessary information you need from the news or independent searches online.
If you need to clear your space to help clear your head, do that. It’s all about what’s going to make you feel your best.
The perfect balance of rest and work is how you maintain a healthy mind.