To succeed and make the most out of our life, it’s important to take care of our physical and mental well-being. A journey of a thousand miles always begins with a small step in a healthier direction.
Here are some tips to help manage your mental well-being:
1. Reach Out For Support
The age-old phrase ‘sharing is caring’ holds true when it comes to our mental well-being. Keeping everything inside and dealing with it alone can be overwhelming. So, asking for help can in itself be a way of coping with the situations. Even if someone can’t solve your problem, you will get a listening ear and know that someone cares about you.
Whether it’s something as small as having a bad day or a more significant issue like a break up, it’s important you do not to go through it alone. Try reaching out to a friend or family member. Alternatively, you can call the following hotlines:
- National Care Hotline: 1800-202-6868
- Institute of Mental Health’s Mental Health Helpline: 6389-2222
- Samaritans of Singapore: 1800-221-4444
- Care Corner Mandarin Hotline: 1800 3535 800
- Tinkle friend: 1800-274-4788
2. Develop A Secure Sense Of Self
The sense of self is a person’s ability to understand his nature and worth. People with high self-confidence and esteem generally have a heightened sense of self. It takes attention and daily practice to build a strong sense of self.
- Talk to yourself positively as you would your best friend
- Identify your strengths and develop them
- Learn to accept compliments
- Affirm your real-worth when you encounter setbacks
When we have a healthy self-esteem, we can accept ourselves for who we are. It brings us inner peace and security, and this resilience helps us to overcome adversities.
3. Adopt Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors
Healthy lifestyles have a positive impact on mental health and longevity. But old habits die hard. It is difficult to give up and adopt positive ones. So always start with small good habits to replace bad ones.
Some other positive lifestyle behaviors that we can include in our daily life can be:
- At least 7 to 8 hours of sleep at night
- Eating healthily by reducing the intake of junk food, and having more vegetables and fruits
- Exercising regularly, even if it’s something as simple as walking
- Avoid smoking
- Drinking plenty of water and staying hydrated
4. Maintain Work-Life Balance
During COVID-19, most workplaces allow employees to Work from Home. The lines between personal and work lives are blurred, causing people to give more time to work and less time for their families. Even as more workers are turning to workplace, it is hard to shut off the mind after the working hour.
To prevent burnout and keep our sanity, it’s essential to compartmentalize your life in terms of time and routine, the clearer boundary that you have with work and personal life, the easier it is for your to compartmentalize, the more satisfying you are toward your life.
You cannot pour from an empty cup. You must fill your cup first.
