We all want to be the best versions of ourselves, don't we? And we might become anxious about accomplishing our objectives at times. And the tremendous strain might put a stop to our progress, leaving us unmotivated or frustrated.
Most of us believe that in order to better our lives and mental health, we must begin with major adjustments. But what if I told you there were some basic, minor steps you could do that would result in substantial change?
It's the little things that pile up and may make a big difference in a short amount of time or none at all.
So here are 5 little things you may do to improve your life and mental health.
1. Turn your phone off and face down.
We can't help but think about social media on a regular basis. With our attention being drawn from one area to another, it's better to gradually peel back our distractions and focus on the present.
That implies that scrolling through social media like a wide-eyed zombie is a waste of your time. Leave the zombie appearance to the movies and away from your phone screen reflection. Always keep your phone on mute. If you need it for work, turn it off on weekends and when you aren't expecting a call.
Put your phone away or face down when you enter a room or go out to eat with family or friends so the bright brightness of your screen doesn't annoy you with a notification.
Our phones have a habit of causing our needless worry. Social media may be harmful. When it's the weekend, emails from work might be distracting. And those random alerts that appear beside our apps aren't even true notifications.
2. If you want to set an alarm, put it opposite your bed.
Do you enjoy the sounds of birds singing in the early morning breeze? The aroma of a freshly brewed cup of coffee and well-fried eggs. That's correct, magnificently. What delights! You awoke to the sound of that dreadful alarm tone? That was formerly programmed to sound soothing.
You naïve little thing. And what exactly do you smell?
Not fresh coffee just soiled socks and take-out pizza from the night before. But the point is that our mornings aren't always the best. That is why sleep is so relaxing. We can't, however, sleep all day.
Oversleeping may have a bad influence on our mental health, which is why if your sleep routine is awry, you'll most likely require an alarm to get up.
If you use an alarm clock in the morning, position it towards the opposite wall from your bed. Keep it as far away from you as possible while still in your bedroom.
If you don't have any place to be or if you work evenings, make sure your schedule is in order and then wake up naturally. I know, it's a little strange, isn't it?
If we don't have to go someplace, we should give our minds a soothing reset and then wake up naturally but if we're condemned to sleep in, set your alarm and then place it far across the room on its own cozy little cushion.
That way, you'll have to drag yourself out of bed in the morning to turn it off.
Getting the waking process started. You can't snooze if you're already up and moving, can you?.
3. Don't be afraid to say no.
We are frequently forced into doing things we do not want to do, or we feel bad if we do not do someone a favor. You can only expend so much energy in a day.
And guess what else? I completely understand if you want to say no. You don't have to feel bad every time you decline a friend's bowling invitation or a pizza night out.
Pizza is pizza, after all. It's quite excellent. But you said you wanted a burger tonight. And the reality is that when we gain confidence and make our own decisions, we may feel wonderful. Standing up for oneself is one method to acquire confidence. I understand that doing a favor is a good thing. I understand that doing a favor is a good thing.
However, if you are frequently taken advantage of or just do not want to do something, say no. And once you've done that, don't feel bad about doing whatever it is you want to do.
4. Maintain a journal and express your thoughts.
We have a tendency to tightly wrap our emotions and then throw them into the cold dark freezer in the back of our thoughts. You know, like that leftover nasty pizza from this morning?
However, it is critical to express any intense feelings, pleasant or bad, in some form. So, to whom are you going to confide these thoughts?
For starters, you. However, not in your brain. Put them into words.
According to research published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology of the American Psychological Association, expressive writing lowers repressed and intrusive negative thoughts and can improve our working memory.
This increased mental space allows us to employ our cognitive resources to focus on other things and enhance our stress management. So start writing down your thoughts or discuss your ideas and views with someone you trust.
You may even keep a gratitude diary and write down things you're grateful for each morning to start your day on a positive note. The expression makes us feel better about ourselves and frees up some mental space, even in our old mental freezers.
5. Rethink your position before responding.
Someone just uttered the most vexing thing to you, and you can't stop yelling. But you can't help yourself, can you? And, while it's unlikely that you'll yell, yet you certainly appear to be. Before you go on to respond aggressively because you're in a poor mood or a crude remark, Take the time to question it mindfully.
What effect will your reaction have on the situation? Your words have a lot of clout in a lot of circumstances. whether for the better or for the worst You have the ability to either aggravate or improve a situation. It just takes a moment to make a decision.
