Intro
Our mental health is just as important as our physical health. Just like we check on our physical injuries to see how they’re healing. It’s important to check on our mental health to understand how we’re feeling. Even when life is going well and you’re feeling great, it’s still a good idea to check in on your mental health. It can help us analyse why it’s going well and help us create habits to keep us in that good place. Do you know how to check in on your mental health?
Below I’ve posted 6 questions that Chester County Hospital asked in their blog on how to check in on your mental health. I’ve found answering these questions extremely beneficial to my mental health, and I’d like you to do the same. Your answers don’t have to be long or short. The important bit is that you do answer them as it really can benefit you. So, grab a piece of paper & a pen, or open a note on your phone and get writing!
How to check in on your mental health
1. How am I feeling today?
Checking on our mental health starts with asking ourselves how we feel. We might ask other people how they are but how often do we ask ourselves how we’re feeling? Have you been getting feelings of stress, anxiety, and worry? Or have you been feeling amazing, alive, and happy? Get those thoughts and feelings onto paper so you can understand how you really feel.
Taking a few minutes to ask yourself how you feel, can give you so much clarity on your situation. If you haven’t been feeling great, it gives you an opportunity to understand why. Rather than keeping your thoughts and emotions bottled up. Our days are usually busy, filled with requests from bosses, household chores, or our children. We often forget to pause for a moment to ask ourselves how we feel.
2. Am I providing my body with it’s basic needs?
Life can get super busy and we forget to provide our body with its basic needs such as food, water, exercise, and sleep. When we forget to provide our body with its basic needs, it can be a lot harder to perform our daily tasks. Also, it increases our stress levels and makes us much more likely to burn out. Remember that headache you got when you forgot to drink your water? You were thirsty for a reason!
After answering this question, you find that you’re not providing your body with its basic needs. Try to make a conscious effort to focus on yourself a bit more. Get to bed earlier. Don’t skip lunch. Have that nap when you need it. I know this can feel like it’s tricky to do, but it is not selfish to take some time to focus on you. We can’t help and support those around us when we’re not supporting ourselves. You wouldn’t expect others to help you when they’re not feeling great, so you should not expect the same of yourself either.
3. What’s been worrying me lately?
When life is moving at a fast pace and we’ve got a lot going on around us, it can often make us worry and overthink. Asking yourself exactly what’s been worrying you lately, gives you the chance to get the worries out of your head and in front of you. This will make it easier for you to address them and put a plan in place to ease your worries.
If you’re not worried about anything, that’s brilliant! Write down exactly what you’ve been doing to stay worry-free. So, if you ever do start worrying you can reference back to a time when you weren’t. And see exactly what you were doing to stay worry-free.
4. What’s been going well recently?
As well as writing down everything you’re worried about or what’s not going well, it’s also important to reflect on what is going well! This is especially important when you’re struggling with your mental health as it can help shift your negative train of thought into a more positive one. Just like you’d compliment someone for doing something well, make sure you compliment yourself for doing something well!
If you feel like nothing is going well, think back to this morning. You got yourself out of bed and prepared to face the day. That is something that’s gone well!
5. What am I doing to bring myself joy?
We’ve all got activities we enjoy doing that brings us joy. Some people enjoy going out for food in new places. Others enjoy taking their dogs to the beach. And some people simply like to get outside to breathe in the fresh air. Doing things that bring you joy is especially important when you’ve got a lot on your plate. It can ease your stress levels, boost your mood, and turn bad weeks into great ones.
If you can’t write down anything you’re doing to bring yourself joy. I want you to do this now, no excuses! PLAN TO DO SOMETHING FUN & AND JOYFUL RIGHT NOW AND SET A REMINDER ON YOUR PHONE SO YOU DON’T FORGET!
6. Who do I have in my corner?
Who could you call up if you were struggling who would listen to you and offer advice and support? It could be a family member, your best mate, or a therapist. The point is to make sure you’ve got someone in your corner you can talk to if times get tough. If you haven’t spoken to that person in a while, give them a call and genuinely ask how they’re doing.
If you don’t feel like you have anyone in your corner. You can always reach out to a local mental health support group or call the Samaritans on 116 123, if you’re in the UK. The Samaritans are a free-to-call helpline for anyone that’s struggling and help thousands of individuals.
Conclusion
I hope that after you’ve answered these questions, they’ve offered you some clarity on how you’re doing with your mental health. And taught you some valuable questions on how to check in on your mental health. I don’t suggest you ask yourselves these questions every day unless you feel that would benefit you. However, I do suggest you make some time each week or once a month to sit down and check in on your mental health. Making this part of your routine can have positive effects on your mental health and can help you understand your mental health a lot more.
If you’ve answered these questions and realized that you are struggling, reach out to someone in your support network or speak to your doctor. Talking to someone about it is often the first step on the road to recovery. Remember, you’ve got this!