how to prioritize your mental health when you are having a bad day?

hey tribe!

how is your week going?

it’s almost the middle of the week. but are you already looking forward to the end of your week? are you in a state of mind where you wish for a weekend but are too exhausted to even relax on the weekend? yes, that can happen.

after dealing with something like a global pandemic for two years, many people have still not processed the loss and the disruption we felt. many of us just went on an auto-pilot mode and did not give ourselves any time to recover or even reconcile with what was going on around us. but pushing away things never helps.

another thing that happened with the pandemic was the blurring of work and home life with offices going to work from home. so, if you are still struggling with giving yourself some space and taking a break, then here are some tips to prioritise your mental health and achieve a work-life balance:

Set some boundaries for yourself

it is difficult to say “no” but say it, nonetheless. it will always be difficult to say it for the first time but once you set those boundaries at work, it will be much easier for you to do your work without being overwhelmed all the time. maybe you reply too quickly, or you say yes to more projects than you can handle. it sends the message that you are always available. but your time should be your time, not time for extra work.

so, if you are having trouble doing it. let us help you out. if your superior sends you an email at 9.30, unless it's too urgent, wait till the beginning of the working day to respond. stop apologising for not responding when you shouldn’t be working. that is your time. time to take care of yourself and your mental health.

Sleeeeeeep

there is no other way to say this. do not compromise on your hours of sleep. if you sleep less than 7-8 hours, then you will tire yourself out. soon you will be exhausted from doing simple tasks. sleep deprivation makes you irritable and uninterested so it will directly affect your work. if you are having trouble prioritising sleep and you are in a constant state of anxiety, read this article to help yourself sleep better.  

social media/phone detox

this is a tall order but if you can keep your phone aside and forget about it for just a little while, then you will see immediate improvement in your mental health and work-life balance. start by limiting your phone usage before going to bed.

plan like you are going to office

if you are still working from home, then plan your work hours like you are going to the office. studies show that taking a break can be very productive. take a proper lunch break and try to spend that time away from your workspace. do not eat while typing away on your laptop!

take time to do things that make you grow

often, our monotonous daily lives can also become tiring. so seek out things that help you grow personally and professionally outside of work. it could be a painting class or a course for film appreciation just for fun. exploring new things is always a good way to break free from an unending loop of doing the same things over and over.

do you think you need a break, especially after we went through something as bad as the pandemic? what does your break look like? tell us by tagging us on Instagram @liveaastey.
until next time, take care.
live aastey.