Self Care: The Basics Post author:LighterMinds Post published:June 22, 2020 Post category:Self Care / Treatments Post comments:0 Comments What is Self Care? How do I care for myself? Vitamin D Natural sunlight and vitamin d supplements are important for maintaining a stable mood. Stay Social Create connections with friends and family. Keep in touch regularly with your support network. Good Sleep Maintain a sleep routine and good sleep hygiene. Sleep impacts physical and mental health. Exercise Stay active. Whether it's walking, team sports or solo activities. It releases the chemical serotonin in your brain. Tidy Environment Your surroundings impact your mental health. Keep your home clean and tidy. Praise Yourself Recognise your achievements and praise yourself for them as you would a friend. Entertainment Do things that you enjoy, for example reading, watching films, playing games or engaging with hobbies. Grounding A therapeutic technique that involves doing activities that ground and reconnect you to the earth. Slow Down Get out of Auto Pilot Mode. Don't rush through your to-do list. Take things at a steady pace to reduce stress. Be Productive Mental health impacts productivity. Don't let your to-do list spiral out of control. Cross off one thing per day. Personal Development Never stop bettering yourself. Whether it's studies, career choices, hobbies or health, always strive to develop. Limit Technology Too much screen time can cause fatigue, mood swings and disrupt sleep. Be in Nature Research shows getting outside around nature can improve our mental health and mood. Balance Keep a good balance of responsibilities, such as work, socialising, studies and home life. Mindfulness Can be practised in multiple ways, check out our post on how to live mindfully to find out more. Meditation A form of mindfulness and breathing techniques to use as coping strategies. Recharge Allow yourself time to rest. Track Progress Keep a record of your moods, use a journal for experiences and life landmarks. Thought Challenging When negative thinking comes to mind, challenge those thoughts and reframe them. Limit Alcohol Alcohol and drugs can adversely effect your mental health, worsening symptoms. Try to limit use of substances. Make Goals Small achievable goals are better than big unachievable goals. Have things to look forward to. Manage Emotions Emotion dysregulation is a common problem across mental health conditions. Try radical acceptence and self soothing. Spend Time with Animals Research shows interacting with animals can improve our mood. Practice Strategic Thinking Problem solving is important to help contain stress by thinking first of solutions and not reactive emotions. Look After Finances Money is a source of stress. If we manage our budgets effectively it can reduce day-to-day anxiety. Focus on The Now Live in the present moment. We have a habit of focusing on the past or worrying Treat Yourself Do not restrict yourself from all cravings. Remember to treat yourself every now and again as a reward. Healthcare Manage your physical and mental health problems by staying in touch with your GP regularly. Practice Gratitude Noticing things we are grateful for every day helps to boost mood and positivity. Good Diet You are what you eat. Food affects feelings. Keep your diet nutritional and healthy. Travel Explore your local community, adventure across your country or see places abroad. New experiences offer good memories and improves mood. Take Opportunities Try new things and take risks. Often the best things for us seem difficult. Always accept opportunities regardless of outcome. Have Faith This can be religious, spirital or personal. Have faith in yourself and the belief that things can change. Emotions come and go. Be Creative Creativity brings us happiness. Try anything: creative writing, arts and crafts, gardening, decorating, playing an instrument or singing. Practice Empathy Towards others and yourself. Building this compassion helps us treat ourselves more kindly and improves relationships. Build Your Identity An independent sense of who we are is important. Do some soul searching, find yourself and define yourself. Declutter The world is a very materialistic place. Things do not equal happiness. If you haven't used it in the last year, throw it out. Visual Surroundings Keep your surroudings visual: bright colours, photographs and artwork that makes you smile. Build Relationships Human connection is essential to our well-being. Build strong relationships with family, friends and co-workers. Love Yourself We talk to ourselves and treat ourselves more harshly than anyone else. Give yourself a break and talk yourself up. Keep a Routine Solid routines helps us feel secure, maximise productivity and improves mood. Keep a regular routine to maintain calmness Personal Hygiene Periods of mental health difficulty can cause hygiene to decline. Always remember to shower and brush your teeth. Cut Out Negatives This includes bad habits like smoking or binge eating, but also places, people and things that do not serve you. Practice Forgiveness Holding grudges, resentment or anger does us damage at no expense to the other person. Forgiveness fixes that. Challenge Yourself It could be to learn something new, do something difficult or take the next step toward a goal. It helps build confience. Tend To What Grows Whether it's children, plants or pets. Tending to something alive gives us a sense of purpose and motivates us. Open Up Talk about emotions and experiences. Don't bottle everything up. Use healthcare professionals, charities, and friends. Avoid Toxic people/triggers Whatever triggers your mental health should be avoided if possible or you can self-soothe. Take Chances Sometimes we avoid things in case we fail. This means we miss the chance to learn something new. Take those risks. Practice Awareness Self-awareness is a form of stepping back and observing your thoughts and feelings as they unfold. Ask For and Accept Help We can't always get better aby ourselves. Put fear of judgement aside. Ask for help. Accept it when it is offered. Be Organised and Prepared Disorganisation and preparation can cause stress and anxiety. Try making lunches the day before work, or laying out your clothes. Law of Attraction You get out what you put in. We attract whatever we choose to give our attention to–whether wanted or unwanted. Focus on what matters. Support Groups Join support groups that are relevant to your struggles. Likeminded people will help us feel accepted. Tags: anger, anger management, anxiety, be kind to yourself, charity, community, community group, coping strategies, coping strategy, depression, emotions, its okay not to be okay, love yourself, mental diagnoses, mental health, mental health conditions, mental health matters, mental health support, mood, peer support, peer to peer, self care, self care tips, self development, self help, self improvement, social group, stress, support groups, talk for change, top tips, treatment, volunteers Please Share This Share this content Opens in a new window Twitter Opens in a new window Facebook Opens in a new window Google+ Opens in a new window Pinterest Read more articles Previous PostMindfulnessNext PostMore online sessions and advice for 2020 You Might Also Like Borderline Personality Disorder August 13, 2020 Safety Plans April 21, 2020 More online sessions and advice for 2020 July 24, 2020 Leave a Reply Cancel replyCommentEnter your name or username to comment Enter your email address to comment Enter your website URL (optional) Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.