The next few weeks are, for many, the best time of the year. Full of sunshine, socialising, shopping, special occasions, and spending time with family and friends. We take holidays from our regular routines and fully submerge ourselves in the season. We pamper ourselves with ‘treat’ foods, sweet beverages, little sleep, a gruelling party schedule and a break from our exercise and self-care routines. An annual break from our lives.
Frustratingly, our mental health doesn’t let us take a holiday from it, particularly when we struggle with mental health concerns. Whether they are related to stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, addictions or any other form of mental illness, this season can be a mixture of amazing, but also intimidating and can exacerbate symptoms.
One of the best ways to help us manage this time can be to set aside one day of the week in which you book out the entire day to our self-care.
This self-care day should focus just on you!
- Need more sleep due to too many late nights getting work finished for the year?
You may need to rest and sleep.
- Need to eat healthy food because you have been overindulging and feeling less than amazing?
Spend the day shopping, cooking and meal prepping for yourself with wholesome, nutritionally dense meals that you enjoy.
- Need to have some peace and quiet because you’ve attended lots of parties and social events?
Spend the day by yourself doing single-person activities you enjoy, like reading a book, going for a hike or listen to a podcast.
- Feel like everything is getting on top of you?
Spend the day on life admin; doing your washing, cleaning and cleaning out your email.
Whatever you choose, first think about what you need and make sure you give yourself a gift…space and time to make sure you get what you need.
For those concerned about their mental health or their child and adolescent’s mental health please ring 42445636.
