We all have mental health and there are times in our lives when this will be positively or negatively affected.
Taking care of our mental health and wellbeing will better enable us to cope with the difficult times in life, when our mental health may be detrimentally affected. How we manage our mental health will be different for each one of us but a few common influencing factors are:
Eating Habits and Good Quality Sleep It is a mistake to think that physical and mental health are not entwined. What, when and how we eat can influence our energy levels and sleep patterns and quality, as well as the physical benefits of eating well.
Realistic Expectations If our expectations of self or others are unrealistic we are likely to be disappointed when these aren't met. This can lead to low confidence, poor self esteem, a reluctance to try new things or meet new people and can affect our relationships.
Having Fun As with exercise, laughter and enjoyment lift our mood and make us feel more positive. It will also usually involve someone else, so you're having social interaction and doing something so you're likely being active. What a great reason to have some fun!
Down time In today's society it can feel like we need to fill our lives with things to do and places to be but taking time out for ourselves is important for our wellbeing. Take some regular time out to relax and unwind.
Something to look forward to Having something positive or enjoyable to look forward to, helps shift our focus away from negative thinking, or dwelling too deeply on negative situations. It also helps with perspective that there are good things in life.
Notice your response as you read these examples. Are you nodding in agreement? If so, is it because you do these things and recognise the benefit? Is it because you believe they would be helpful but don't implement them? If not, what stops you?B
Benefits of Wellbeing When our wellbeing is good, it positively supports our mental health, improving our resilience and helping us better deal with day to day challenges and life events.
Working with you and your employees offers the opportunity to gain a greater understanding of self, along with gaining coping strategies, what and how to access additional support if needed and the ability to improve wellbeing, in both the short and long term. Click here to get in touch.
Views on this vary, depending on the source but the Mental Health Foundation gives a clear and simple explanation. It states: “Good mental health is characterised by a person’s ability to fulfil a number of key functions and activities, including:
Contributing factors also vary but frequently cited elements are:
My personal addition is having fun. As with exercise, laughter and enjoyment lift our mood and make us feel more positive and will often involve someone else [social interaction] and doing something [being active], so what are you waiting for; have some fun!
The NHS website states some criteria contributing to good mental health