Mental Health Self-Care Checklist
It’s important to take care of yourself and make yourself a priority so you can be your best self. Maintaining a sense of well-being involves a lot of different factors – a key component of that is taking care of your mental health. Keeping up with our self-care can often fall to the wayside when our busy lives and schedules get in the way, but it is essential to make time to maintain good mental health.
At Insight Northwest Counseling, we want you to live your best life and provide you with the tools to do so. There are many simple daily habits you can incorporate to enhance your mental health and your overall wellness. Continue reading to learn more about the importance of self-care, how it affects your emotional health, and how you can begin taking small steps to improve your self-care practices today. In this blog post, we provide you with an ultimate self care checklist, tools for stress relief, and thoughts on how to improve your overall life quality.
The Importance of Self-Care for Mental Health
Self-care involves activities that improve your well-being such as eating a balanced diet, getting enough exercise, and maintaining a good sleep schedule. Taking care to sustain a good self-care plan can sometimes be a challenge when daily responsibilities and busy schedules get in the way. It can easily become difficult to upkeep self-care practices due to the stresses of everyday life but when you don’t make time for yourself to recharge, it can leave you feeling overwhelmed and stressed which can sometimes worsen mental health conditions.
Making time for self-care is essential to your mental health- it can help to lessen anxiety and depression symptoms, manage stress, and make you more resilient to life difficulties and mental illness symptoms. When you invest in self-care practices it leads you to a more fulfilling, balanced life. By prioritizing yourself and making time to tend to your self-care journey, you can be your best self and can help others do the same.
Types of Self-Care Practices
Self-care is a broad term that covers many different aspects. However, it’s important to note that you should always do what feels best for you. If something doesn’t work for you, that is perfectly ok and there are other things you can try that are a better fit. Self-care habits can include physical, emotional, and spiritual self-care. Physical activities you can do to improve your mental health include exercise, maintaining healthy sleep habits and mindful eating. Emotional self-care includes habits like journaling, practicing gratitude and positive self-talk. Spiritual self-care involves activities like meditation, spending time in nature, and connecting with a higher power.
Self-Care Checklist
Making time for your self-care routine on a daily basis can be challenging but it is important to make caring for yourself a priority. We created a printable self care checklist that you can download below. Keeping a daily self care checklist where you can see may help serve as a reminder to make time for healthy habits. The checklist includes a variety of simple self care habits that you can pick and choose from and create a daily routine that works for your individual needs.
PHYSICAL SELF-CARE
Sleep
Sleep is when the body repairs itself. Lack of sleep can lead to many issues including decreased attention span, worsened mood disorders and increased risk of anxiety and depression.
Aim to get at least 8 hours of sleep per night.
If you can’t get 8 hours, begin by simply adding an extra hour of sleep to your current routine.
Limit screen time at least an hour before sleep.
Cut out stimulants like caffeine or nicotine before bed.
Keep a comfortable, clean sleep environment.
Exercise
Exercise keeps you strong physically and mentally. When you exercise your body releases endorphins which naturally boost your mood. It can add a sense of accomplishment to your day and also sometimes strengthen social connections.
Try to exercise for at least 30 minutes per day.
Take small breaks while working to add in some movement and stretch.
Going on small walks and getting out in nature is beneficial for your physical health.
Yoga is a great, low impact option to add to your morning routine for easy movement.
Food & Water
Diet is key to well-being, not having an adequate amount of vitamins and minerals can affect your physical and mental health. Certain nutrients such as B vitamins, zinc and magnesium can impact your mood, your sleep quality, and energy levels.
Work in whole foods as much as you can and limit processed, sugary foods.
Drink water throughout the day and try to replace any sodas or caffeine with water.
Practice mindful eating by being present when eating and listening to your body.
EMOTIONAL SELF-CARE
Taking time to process emotions and feels things without judgment can be challenging but can be less daunting with helpful tools like therapy, journaling, and mindfulness.
Journaling
Journaling is a powerful tool to reflect on your thoughts, track goal setting, and to clear your mind. Practicing using journaling prompts can be a great way to move forward through difficult times and release pent up emotions.
Writing a list of things you are thankful for is a simple daily habit to cultivate gratitude and promote a positive mindset.
Practice positive self-talk by writing down your accomplishments and things that you are proud of yourself for.
Relationships
Setting boundaries is crucial to maintaining mental health. Limit your time with people that drain you or leave you feeling down.
Seek support from friends, family or a therapist.
Surround yourself with people who are uplifting and understanding.
Feelings
Allow yourself to feel emotions without judging them. Your feelings are valid, try your best to honor them.
Spend more time doing things that bring you joy. Make a list of things you love doing and try to do one per day.
Notice when you experience negative self-talk. Show yourself grace when it happens but replace it with self-affirming statements when you can.
SPIRITUAL SELF-CARE
Start your day with 10 minutes of meditation. Studies show numerous benefits for both physical and mental health from meditation. It promotes an overall sense of well-being and can help with attention and emotion regulation.
Spend time in nature whenever you can. Research shows that being outdoors reduces stress and contributes to a sense of calm.
Practice mindfulness by paying attention to your breath and surroundings.
Listen to music, read, or spend time doing things that inspire you.
How Insight Northwest Counseling can Help
The help of a therapist or mental health practitioner may be the right choice for you if life feels too stressful to bear alone. And that is more than okay. Insight Northwest Counseling is here to meet you where you are and make the process of seeking help as simple and accessible as possible. It is our goal to give you the tools you need to better cope with the struggles and stressors of life. We want you to feel safe, heard, and capable through the course of your therapy.
Our commitment is to be with you every step of the way, ensuring that you achieve stability and overall well-being and our resources and assistance are available to you wherever you are in your journey. Feel free to contact us for a free consultation, where we will answer your questions and help you determine the best path for your healing.